No sooner had the California citrus industry settled in to the Chinese market than their export deal was once again under jeopardy from the country's authorities.

Due to several inspections of the pathogen Phytophthora syringae in Shanghai, China will not allow any citrus imports from Tulare County that were shipped on or after Feb. 18, and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) has either returned or destroyed the intercepted fruit.

In a note published on Feb. 16 on the AQSIQ website, the authority called on all China Inspection and Quarantine (CIQ) branches to be on high alert for oranges from other citrus-growing regions of the U.S. as well.

"Once intercepted, they must be sampled and sent to the lab for testing while shipments will be on hold," AQSIQ said.

"In the case of Phytophthora syringae being detected, all shipments involved will be either returned or destroyed."

The notice is effective for six months.

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