APHIS Approves Imports of Avocados, Apricots from Spain
The Agriculture Department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will allow the import of avocados from continental Spain (excluding the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands) into the U.S. The avocados will have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that includes registration of production locations and packing houses, pest monitoring, sanitary practices, chemical and biological controls, and phytosanitary treatment, it said.
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APHIS also made a similar decision allowing the imports of fresh apricots from Spain (here).
The fruit also will have to be imported in commercial consignments, with each consignment identified throughout its movement from place of production to the port of entry. Consignments will have to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of Spain certifying that the fruit is free from all quarantine pests and has been produced in accordance with the systems approach. Consignments of avocados other than the Hass variety would also have to be treated for the Mediterranean fruit fly either prior to moving to the U.S. or upon arrival prior to release.
The decisions are effective Jan. 31. Further information: Meredith Jones, 301-851-2018.