Chilean pomegranate exporters to the U.S. will now be able to use alternative disease mitiation measures to methyl bromide, with U.S. quarantine amending regulations for a systems approach to import approvals.

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced the new measures would include a variety of checks at different stages of the supply chain

"Under this systems approach, the fruit would have to be grown in a place of production that is registered with the national plant protection organization of Chile and certified as having a low prevalence of Brevipalpus chilensis," APHIS said in a release.

"The fruit would have to undergo pre-harvest sampling at the registered  production site. Following post-harvest processing, the fruit would  have to be inspected in Chile at an approved inspection site."

Under the amended regulations, each consignment would need a phytosanitary certificate, as well as another ceritificate based on field and packhouse inspeections that showed the pomegranates were free of Brevipalpus chilensis.

"This action will allow for the safe importation of fresh pomegranates from Chile using mitigation measures other than fumigation with methyl bromide."

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