Three’s a charm for Ecuadorian fruit in the U.S.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released three import announcements for Ecuadorian produce this week, pointing to greater opportunities for berry, dragonfruit and pepper producers.
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) first approved fresh Andean raspberries and blackberries for import. These fruits will undergo a systems approach that emphasizes pest management and implements phytosanitary measures throughout production.
Import requirements mandate pest-free production sites from zones with low pest prevalence, such as fruit fly, as well as pest monitoring and trapping.
The rule will take effect May 9.
Fresh Ecuadorian pitahaya, or dragonfruit, may also be on the road to North America. APHIS opened a 60-day comment period, ending June 7, for the fruit to help evaluate pest risks. If implemented, the proposed APHIS rule would permit imports of the fruit under a systems approach.
Regulations for pitahaya would include fruit fly trapping, pre-harvest inspections, approved production sites, and pest-control measures in packinghouses.
APHIS also issued a reminder over new rules, which took effect Nov. 23, 2015, for Ecuador’s pepper exporters. The new rule implements a systems approach for imports into the continental U.S.
Photo: www.shutterstock.com
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