Port Canaveral and Port NOLA in Louisiana have joined the Southeast US In-transit Cold Treatment Pilot Program. Launched by the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the pilot program allows direct import of select fruits and vegetables from South America into south eastern US ports after undergoing a two-week cold treatment and obtaining the necessary unloading clearances.
Safeguarding produce from fruit flies and other pests, cold treatment enables time-sensitive shipments to achieve customs compliance while in transit, rather than after they arrive in the US.
The following commodities are included in this pilot:
Blueberries, citrus, and grapes from Peru
Blueberries and grapes from Uruguay, and
Blueberries, apples, and pears from Argentina.
Shippers can now take advantage of additional options to transport perishable cargo. The port’s proximity to Central Florida by land and sea, combined with the shorter transit times, will enable importers of agricultural products to bring fresher and better-quality produce to the high-demand consumer market.
