Can you bring fruit into New Zealand? Forgotten banana ends in tears

IN two minutes one banana increased its value by 79,900 per cent. That’s right, a single, forgotten banana could cost $400.

IN the space of two minutes one banana increased its value by a whopping 79,900 per cent.

You probably wouldn’t pay $400 for something that costs about 50c, but I almost did.

One simple mistake, a silly assumption that it had been eaten and rushing to the airport with two kids under three saw me break the law, albeit completely by accident.

One, single, uneaten, forgotten banana is how we found ourselves sitting in the Border Protection offices at Auckland Airport.

Anyone with kids, especially small needy ones, will tell you travelling with them on a plane is about as relaxing as a medical procedure.

They will also tell you banana is the ultimate go-to food when you’re stuck without a snack.

After a short and relatively painless flight from Sydney with my toddler and eight-month-old in tow we arrived in Auckland, super pumped to have survived with our sanity in tact.

We picked up our load of luggage and I didn’t even notice the sniffer dog at first, I assumed being a dog person she was just wanting a pat from me which I gratefully gave.

Then her handler asked us to put all our bags in the X-ray machine.

The penny still didn’t drop, I just figured we were one of those families picked at random for screening.

As my toddler began getting upset about her Thomas the Tank Engine bag being taken, I assured her all was OK. But it wasn’t.

Before I knew it, every customs officer at Auckland Airport descended on us and I assumed the worst — someone had planted something very bad in Thomas.

Nope.

Welcome to bananageddon, Kiwi-style.

We quickly pulled away, with offending bag in tow.

“But we thought it had been eaten,” we implored, “we forgot it was even in there, it is one disease-free banana. I’m Australian and well aware of the biosecurity risks food can cause. I’ve lived overseas for years, I am well travelled.”

The customs people were having none of it and as we sat there I began working out how many bananas I could buy for $400.

Australian bananas, while supposedly disease-free, are capable of spreading a fruit fly which can decimate New Zealand’s eco balance, according to Mr Border Protection

Put simply we had stuffed up, the signs and customs declaration explicitly ask you to declare any fruit and veg and we didn’t, regardless of whether it was unintentional.

The woman in front of us had neglected to declare she had honey, also on the banned list. She copped a fine. I knew I was next.

If I was Mr Border Protection, I would have given me a fine too and I know our border patrol would fine a New Zealander if they made the same mistake.

This could have ended so much worse.

After what seemed like ages waiting in the naughty room, Mr Border Protection emerged looking stern and angry, like I had slapped his child.

Yet instead of a hefty fine, the man instead slapped me with a warning letter after taking pity on my frazzled state.

I was so happy that I hugged him — maybe a little too tightly to hubby’s embarrassment — but it was a genuine relief-type of hug.

Mr Border Protection said he understood how travelling with small children could be stressful and how easy it was to miss something.

But he said if he encountered me again with an Australian banana in hand, he would work to ensure I’d never be allowed back into New Zealand. Or worse, he could issue me with a much bigger $100,000 fine.

It got me thinking, if someone supposedly well-travelled can get unstuck by a banana it’s no wonder travellers get into trouble over much more serious matters.

When I relayed our experience to my NZ mates, all of them said we got off lightly.

One friend said someone she knew copped a $400 fine for bringing an orange into the country. An orange intended for her child to eat on the way back to New Zealand.

Another mentioned a similar story.

At the end of the day, kids or no kids, intentional or unintentional, stuff happens even to the best and careful travellers.

There are no excuses really, but at least it taught me a valuable lesson in being more careful and my embarrassment will ensure it won’t happen again.

And if you’re really confused over what shouldn’t cross the Tasman check out this handy site and anyone coming back to Australia definitely needs to read this.

Originally published as Can you bring fruit into New Zealand? Forgotten banana ends in tears