USDA allows Malaysian papaya imports

USDA allows Malaysian papaya imports    The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said it will begin allowing imports of fresh papaya fruit from Malaysia into the continental United States.
   'Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, we believe that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of fresh papaya fruit from Malaysia,' the agency said.
   The fruit must be irradiated with a minimum absorbed dose of 400 Gy.
   If irradiation is applied outside the United States, each consignment of fruit must be pre-cleared by APHIS inspectors in Malaysia. Each shipment must be inspected jointly by APHIS and Malaysian inspectors and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by Malaysia's national plant protection organization (NPPO) certifying that the fruit received the required irradiation treatment.
   If irradiation is to be applied upon arrival in the United States, each consignment of fruit must still be inspected by Malaysian inspectors prior to departure and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO of Malaysia.
   Each consignment is subject to APHIS inspection at the U.S. port of entry.