A Delegation of Mexico's National Health, Food Safety and Quality Service (Senasica) arrived in Honduras to carry out an on-site audit in the Montelibano and Santa Rosa melon farms, which have been declared as free of Mediterranean fly production sites in southern Honduras.
The purpose of the visit is to verify that they comply with the requirements for the establishment and maintenance of a production site that is free of Mediterranean fly (Ceratitis capitata); a phytosanitary measure implemented by Honduras' Senasa in melon farms.
The Mexican delegation, led by Guillermo Santiago, the Head of the Regulation Department, and Vicente Rosa, a Plague Risk Analyst, will work with Senasa's technical team to audit both farms.
Carlos Ferrera, an Advisor to the Directorate General of Senasa, said that "this week, the Mexican delegation will verify the documentation sent by the phytosanitary authorities of Honduras, and will conduct two field trips to the farms, where they will conduct an inspection and a tour of each of the packers."
The will also inspect the production lots, cultural practices, traps in the production areas and buffer zones, and verify the farms' documents.
On Friday, the Mexican delegation will hold a closing meeting with the higher authorities of Senasa, and the Secretariat of Economic Development in the capital city.
During this 2016-2017 season, Honduras has exported 3,908 containers of melons equivalent to 84,178.14 metric tons of fruit.
Source: radiohrn.hn