APHIS Amends Import Requirements for Plums from Chile

FOR INFORMATION
DA-2021-04
April 1, 2021

 

Subject: APHIS Amends Import Requirements for Plums from Chile

To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is modifying the restrictions on plums (Prunus domestica) imported into the United States from Chile to prevent the entry or introduction of the harmful plant pest, European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) (Lobesia botrana).

Fresh plums have been allowed into the United States from Chile since 1933. Currently, most consignments are inspected at the port of export with APHIS oversight under a pre-clearance agreement between Chile and the United States. Consignments are treated with methyl bromide under preclearance in Chile if certain external pests are found.

The APHIS preclearance program in Chile intercepted an EGVM pupa February 17, 2021 and an EGVM larva on February 23, 2021. Both interceptions were from plums produced in General O’Higgins region of Chile for export to the United States. APHIS has determined that fresh plum consignments destined for the United States from Chile pose a significant phytosanitary risk to the United States domestic fruit industry, especially grapes, due to EGVM in Chile’s fruit production areas.

Because of the recent detections of EGVM on Chilean plums, APHIS now considers fresh plum fruit to be a host of EGVM. To mitigate the risk of EGVM, all consignments of plums from Chile for export to the United States must be treated with an APHIS approved treatment. Current treatment options include irradiation with a minimum absorbed dose of 400 Gy upon arrival in the United States or fumigation with methyl bromide in accordance with APHIS treatment regulations found at 7 CFR parts 305, in Chile under the preclearance program.

The European Grapevine moth is native to Europe and attacks primarily grape flowers and fruit but has several other hosts of poor or unknown status. In Europe it causes grape growers to incur control costs and significant damage. The European Grapevine Moth was detected in Chile in April of 2008 on grapes. Damage caused by the pest can be extensive; some Chilean growers reported losses of up to 70% of their grape crops in 2008. EGVM became established in California in 2009 and was eradicated after 7 years and expenditures of more than $100,000,000.  

Fumigation can be conducted in Chile under an APHIS preclearance program until the end of the shipping season for plums from Chile, and no later than May 31, 2021.

For additional information regarding this Federal Order, please contact Tony Román, Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist at 301- 851-2242, or via email at Juan.A.Roman@usda.gov. For additional information regarding treatments required by this Federal Order, please contact Paul Ijams, National Policy Manager, Treatments at 301-851-2097, or by email at Paul.M.Ijams@usda.gov.

 

/s/

Dr. Osama El Lissy
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine

 

Attachment: Federal Order