USDA sets garlic, persimmon import rules
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has implemented phytosanitary rules to allow the import of garlic from the European Union and other countries.
'Based on the findings of a commodity import evaluation document, 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 garlic from the European Union and other countries,' the agency said.
In addition to the EU, other countries are Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, the Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestine Authority, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
These countries are authorized to export garlic (dry bulbs, no green leaves) to the United States only if the commodity undergoes vacuum fumigation for certain weevil pests. France, Italy and Spain are exempt from the required fumigation. Imports of garlic from France are allowed with a phytosanitary certificate containing an additional declaration that the garlic was inspected and found free of pests.
The USDA agency will also allow the import of fresh persimmon fruit from South Africa.
'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 persimmon fruit from South Africa,' the agency said.
