Melissa O’Dell (301) 734-5222
Jerry Redding (202) 720-4623
USDA ALLOWS GRAPE IMPORTS FROM NAMIBIA
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2006--The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service today announced that it is amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of fresh table grapes, under certain conditions, from Namibia into the United States.
As a condition of entry, the grapes must undergo cold treatment and fumigation with methyl bromide. The fruit must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of Namibia with an additional declaration stating that the grapes have been inspected and found free of Maconellicoccus hirsutus (pink hibiscus mealybug), Nipaecoccus vastator (s pherical mealybug),Rastrococcus iceryoides (mango mealybug), Cochlicella ventricosa (land snail) and Theba pisana (white garden snail). In addition, the grapes are subject to inspection at the port of first arrival. APHIS selected these measures to effectively mitigate the risk of introducing plant pests into the United States.
This final rule is scheduled to be published in the Sept. 21 Federal Register and will become effective Oct. 23.
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