USDA considers imports of pineapple, other exotic fruits from Thailand

USDA considers imports of pineapple, other exotic fruits from Thailand    The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has proposed regulations to allow the import of pineapple and five other exotic fruits from Thailand.
   The other fruits from Thailand covered under the rule are litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen, and rambutan.
   As a condition of entry, the agency would require these fruits to be grown in production areas that are registered with and monitored by Thailand’s national plant protection organization.
   The fruits must also be treated with irradiation in Thailand at a dose of 400 gray for plant pests. 'The operator of the irradiation facility must enter into a trust fund agreement with APHIS to pay for the costs of monitoring and preclearance,' USDA said.
   These shipments must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate indicating the completion of this treatment. For litchi shipments, an additional declaration stating that the fruit has been inspected and found free of peronophythora litchii, a fungal pest of litchi, is required.
   Thailand's National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards said the country is capable of producing about 5 million metric tons of these fruits under the proposed rule for the U.S. market. The USDA, however, pointed out that only a fraction of this amount is likely to be exported to the United States each year, because the irradiation facility cannot process large volumes of fruit.
   The USDA will take comments about the proposed rule through Sept. 25. For more information, contact Alex Belano, APHIS import specialist, at (301) 734-8758.