On September 14, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced its decision to allow citrus fruit from the entire country of Peru to be imported into the continental United States. Currently, the regulations allow the importation of citrus fruit to the US from five approved citrus-producing zones in Peru (Piura, Lambayeque, Lima, Ica and Junín), subject to a systems approach. All citrus fruit from Peru, except for limes, must undergo a cold treatment as soon as it enters the US.
In a statement, APHIS said that based on the findings of a pest list and commodity import evaluation document, it has determined that this systems approach also mitigates the plant pest risk associated with citrus fruit produced in all other areas of Peru. This action will allow the importation of citrus fruit from the entire country of Peru while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of plant pests into the continental United States.
According to the USDA, the rule will increase the area of approved export citrus to the US to about 3,750 acres over the next three years. Additional volumes of citrus expected to be shipped to the United States are 5,000 metric tons (MT) in the first year that the rule is in effect, 6,500 MT in the second year, and 8,000 MT in the third year. These quantities are equivalent to less than one percent of US citrus production, according to the USDA.
