Young coconuts (buko) from the Philippines may now be exported through all ports in the United States. Dr. Josyline Javelosa, the Philippine Agriculture Attaché to the United States, said the export permission was confirmed with the US government.
Javelosa joined the May 22-23 bilateral meeting between Plant Health Officers of the Philippines and US officials at the United States Department Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) headquarters at Riverdale, Maryland.
In the meeting, Dr. Jill Wallace, Head of the US delegation and Deputy Director of Phytosanitary Issues Management (PIM), confirmed that young coconuts from the Philippines that are immature/green, and with 75% or more of outer shell surface of the husk removed, can be inspected and released to the US market as authorized under 7 CFR 319.56.
