Colombia has a total of 74 agricultural products that meet admissibility standards for U.S. entry under a free trade agreement (FTA) that exists between the two countries.

Information given to www.freshfruitportal.com by the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) shows 22 of the products are fruit, 26 are vegetables and tubers, and 13 are aromatic and medicinal plants.

The list includes bananas, coconuts, plums, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, pomegranates, lemons, limes, mandarins, sweet oranges, grapefruit, pineapples, yellow pitahaya (dragonfruit), truffles, prickly pears, grapes and cape gooseberries.

The entity said there were still several products awaiting approval from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), such as sweet grandillas, banana passionfruit, golupa passionfruit and lemongrass.

In the case of avocados, ICA has responded to sightings of mealybug that to occurred on Mar. 22, as well as a similar sighting for watermelons on Mar. 11.

The country is still waiting for protocol approvals for pitayas, melons and some citrus fruits.

www.freshfruitportal.com