The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is unsure how widespread the presence of a foreign beetle is that destroys vegetable crops.
Several colonies of Hadda beetles, native to the Pacific and Asia, have been found in Auckland close to the port.
The beetles can cause considerable damage to potatoes and tomatoes.
So far, they have been found at the Auckland Domain and Sir Dove Myer Robinson Park in Parnell.
Scientist David Yard is in charge of the Hadda beetle response programme and says spraying should eradicate it.
Potato industry representatives are especially concerned. Potato and tomato growers are already fighting battling the potato/tomato psyllid.
Potatoes New Zealand chair Terry Olsen, says the most important things growers in the region can do is monitor their crop.
