USDA PLANS EXPANSION OF MEXICAN HASS AVACADO IMPORTS

USDA PLANS EXPANSION OF MEXICAN HASS AVACADO IMPORTS The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed to expand the number of states allowed to import Mexican Hass avocados and to increase the length of the shipping season.
   Currently, fresh Mexican Hass avocadoes may be imported into the District of Columbia and the northeastern U.S. states of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin from November to February.
   The USDA said it has received repeated request from Mexican agricultural officials to expand the number of states and increase the shipping season for Mexican Hass avocados.
   The USDA’s plan would extend the shipping season to include March and April and would allow the distribution of these avocados to Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. This plan will be soon published in the Federal Register for public comment, the USDA said.