NY/NJ CBP Recommends Solution to Rice Khapra Beetle Inspection Delays
U.S. Customs and Border Protection for Field Operations at the Port of New York/Newark has issued an Informational Pipeline notifying the trade community that palletizing containerized rice shipments at the time of export to the U.S. will help expedite any CBP Agriculture Inspections at the Port of New York/Newark for Khapra Beetle.
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(In 2010 and 2011, several detections of Khapra Beetle (Trogoderma granarium) occurred on commercial rice originating from, or transiting through, countries where Khapra Beetle is known to occur. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued a federal Order that effective July 30, 2011 required commercial shipments of rice from countries where the Khapra Beetle is found to be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate or reexport certificate with an Additional Declaration stating that the shipment was inspected and found free of Khapra beetle. See ITT's Online Archives 11071453 for summary.)
Palletizing Containerized Rice at Time of Export is a "Best Business Practice"
To prevent the entry of this pest and allow the movement of Khapra Beetle-free shipments of rice into the U.S., CBP, in collaboration with APHIS, is recommending that all importers, carriers, terminal operators, Centralized Exam Station (CES) operators, brokers, and others concerned, palletize containerized rice shipments to facilitate the staging of cargo at the time of CBP examinations. CBP and CES facility operators have agreed that palletizing containerized importations of rice, at the time of export to the U.S., is a "Best Business Practice". CBP states this practice will dramatically expedite the processing of cargo destined for CBP examination and treatment, if necessary.
Palletizing Containers will Ensure Inspection and Treatment is Not Delayed
Therefore, CBP, in conjunction with APHIS, is requesting that all containerized importations of rice, from countries where Khapra Beetle is known to occur, be palletized to ensure that any inspection and treatment, if necessary, is not delayed due to the inability of the CES facility operators to easily manipulate the goods.
CBP states this change is part of an effort to increase the efficiency of the CES facility operators during the offloading and loading processes of containerized rice shipments requiring CBP examination.
(See ITT's Online Archives 11072603 for summary of CBP's announcement that it will enforce APHIS' rice import restrictions on 26 countries starting July 30, 2011.
See ITT's Online Archives 11072949 for summary of CBP granting leniency to cargo shipments of rice that started its voyage or flight on or before July 30, 2011.
See ITT's Online Archives 11121957 for summary of APHIS' December 2011 Federal Order to prevent the entry of Khapra Beetle in commercial shipments of soybeans, chickpeas, or sunflower seeds from countries where Khapra Beetle is found.)
CBP Contact -- Supervisory Agriculture Specialist Keyvan Santiago at (201) 443-0336 or Keyvan.Santiago@dhs.gov
APHIS Contact -- Port Director Randolph V. Cadet at (908) 862-2012 or Randolph.Cadet@aphis.usda.gov
More information on APHIS' response to Khapra Beetle detections in commercial shipments of imported rice is available here.
Informational Pipeline No. 12-011-NWK is available via email by sending a request to documents@brokerpower.com.