The US quarantine protocol for Australian citrus has been altered slightly to open more cold sterilisation options to exporters in the face of the Queensland fruit fly outbreaks in the Murray-Darling basin region.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on 30 March it would allow cold sterilisation temperature to be raised slightly from 0.56°C to 2.78°C, as long as the treatment period was extended from 12 to 16 days, reported The Packer.
With the Australian Navel orange season due to kick off next month and shipments to the US expected in June, it seems likely the bulk of the exports will dodge cold sterilisation requirement, as the majority of growing regions are outside areas with Queensland fruit fly outbreaks.
The horticultural industry in Australia is working hard to control the widespread outbreaks of Queensland fruit fly in the Murray-Darling region, but industry figures say the area may not regain fruit fly free status before next year.
