US lifts ban on Dominican Republic crops ´effective immediately´

Santo Domingo.- The USgovernment on Thursday announced the amendment of a federal order to allow theimport into the US of crops that host the Medfly from 23 provinces within theDominican Republic, “effective immediately.”

The US Animal and PlantHealth Inspection Service –APHIS- said however that noncommercial shipments ofMedfly host material are still barred entry, noting that the list of approvedprovinces is included in the amended Dept. of Agriculture FO-2016-03.

"Medfly host materialfor export must be transported in a sealed or tarped container from the productionsite to the packinghouse, and from the packinghouse to the port of export tosafeguard against the introduction of quarantine pests during transport,” APHISsaid in a statement released by the US Embassy in Santo Doming.

It said the shipmentmust be inspected and issued a phytosanitary certificate by MAG indicating theprovince of origin in the Dominican Republic.

“We are also pleased toinform you that this FO authorizes the use of irradiation upon entry into theUnited States as an approved treatment for mangoes from the Dominican Republic.Green tomatoes and Hass avocados, as well as mangoes treated via the hot watertreatment program, remain enterable from all provinces following therequirements of 7 CFR 319.56-3,” the statement said.

In the missive to AgricultureMinistry Animal and Vegetable Health Dept. director Emigdio Gómez, APHIS ActingAssistant Deputy Administrator

Michael A.Guidicipietro thanked his Dominican counterpart “for providing us with weeklyand summary progress reports, such as the report included in your December 29,2015, letter. We applaud your surveillance and eradication efforts, as well asyour sterile insect release program in the original outbreak areas. We lookforward to MAG reaching its goal of eradicating Medfly from the DominicanRepublic.”

THE LETTER:

Ing. Emigdio Gómez

Director Departamento de Sanidad Vegetal

Ministerio de Agricultura (MAG)

Urbanización Los Jardines, Km 6 ½ Autopista Duarte

Santo Domingo, República Dominicana

Dear Ing. Gómez:

We are pleased to inform you that APHISamended its April 28, 2015, Federal Order

(FO) (DA-2015-25) toallow the import of commercial shipments of Ceratitis capitata (Mediterraneanfruit fly—(Medfly)) host material from 23 provinces within the Dominican Republicinto the United States, effective immediately.

Noncommercial shipmentsof Medfly host material are still prohibited entry. The list of approvedprovinces is included in the enclosed amended FO (DA-2016-03).

Medfly host materialfor export must be transported in a sealed or tarped container from theproduction site to the packinghouse, and from the packinghouse to the port ofexport to safeguard against the introduction of quarantine pests duringtransport.

Finally, the shipmentmust be inspected and issued a phytosanitary certificate by MAG indicating theprovince of origin in the Dominican Republic.

We are also pleased toinform you that this FO authorizes the use of irradiation upon entry into theUnited States as an approved treatment for mangoes from the Dominican Republic.Green tomatoes and Hass avocados, as well as mangoes treated via the hot watertreatment program, remain enterable from all provinces following therequirements of 7 CFR 319.56-3.

Thank you for providingus with weekly and summary progress reports, such as the report included inyour December 29, 2015, letter. We applaud your surveillance and eradicationefforts, as well as your sterile insect release program in the originaloutbreak areas. We look forward to MAG reaching its goal of eradicating Medflyfrom the Dominican Republic.

Sincerely,

Michael A.Guidicipietro