The Honduran Secretary of Agriculture and Farming (SAG) has reportedly urged in a letter the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lift its food safety alert on melon imports from local supplier Agrolibano which has been in place since an unconfirmed salmonella scare was raised on 21 March.
SAG claims the FDA is stalling its decision following a visit by FDA officials to the company's production farms in Honduras where growers are said to have complied with all of the new requirements set by the US agency.
According to SAG, if the alert is not lifted growers will be forced to leave unharvested 2,400ha planted with melons in the south of the country. The US is leading export market for Canteloupe melons grown in Honduras.
