The US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow, under certain conditions, the import of commercial shipments of fresh papayas from Colombia and Ecuador into the continental US.
The conditions for import include requirements for field sanitation, hot water treatment and fruit fly trapping in papaya production areas, according to the USDA.
The USDA said this action allows for the import of papayas from Colombia and Ecuador while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of plant pests into the continental US.
The final rule was published in the 28 April Federal Register and becomes effective as of 28 May.
