From next month avocados grown in any Mexican state will be authorised for import into the US, subject to packers following a systems approach.
“Effective Monday, June 27, 2016, commercial consignments of Hass avocados from all areas of Mexico with an approved operational work plan will be allowed into the US accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate certified by the NPPO of Mexico indicating compliance with the systems approach prescribed,” the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said in a press release.
Mexico put in an official request to the US Department of Agriculture for clearance for exports from all over the country in 2010.
“After completing a comprehensive pest risk assessment and additional risk management documents, APHIS has determined that Hass avocados from all states in Mexico can be safely imported into the continental US, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, utilizing the current systems approach with a few minor revisions,” APHIS said.
APHIS will require that Mexican states undertake a number of safeguards in order to export their Hass avocados, including orchard certification, traceback labelling, pre-harvest orchard surveys, orchard sanitation, post-harvest safeguards, fruit cutting and inspection at the packinghouse, and port-of-arrival inspection.
Additionally, APHIS will require the fruit be imported in commercial consignments and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating the systems approach has been followed.
In anticipation of the measure, just over a year ago one of North America’s leading avocado companies Calavo Growers announced it was building a 70,000ft2 facility in Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco.
