The U.S. plans to start importing Kenyan French and runner beans from the start of next month following a risk assessment by Animal and  Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

The beans must be imported as commercial consignments with Kenyan exporters and growers following U.S. importation guidelines on packing, washing and processing.

The beans also need to have phytosanitary certificates proving Kenya's national plant protection organization inspected them and they were found free of quarantine pests.

APHIS's decision follows a consultation period of 60 days after publication of its risk assessment were 10 potential quarantine pests were identified.

They were: bactrocera cucurbitae, chrysodeixis chalcites, dacus ciliatus, helicoverpa armigera, lampides boeticus, liriomyza huidobrensis, maconellicoccus hirsutus,  maruca vitrata, spodoptera littoralis and thaumatotibia leucotreta.

Kenya exported an average of 34,000 metric tons (MT) between 2004 to 2009 primarily to the E.U.

It expects to export 800MT to the U.S. which APHIS said would have little economic impact on domestic growers.

Photo: Elmostrador.cl

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