The Ministry of Agriculture and the U.S. Embassy reported that several vegetables produced in the Dominican Republic could enter the U.S. market without being subject to the automatic review process, which had been in effect in the country for 25 years.
The announcement was made at a press conference led by Minister Luis Ramon Rodriguez and the Agricultural attaché of the U.S. Embassy in the country, Morgan Perkins. Exporters and leaders of various organizations from different regions favoured by the measure, attended the conference.
In a letter to Minister Rodriguez, the Bureau of Food and Drug Administration of the United States (FDA) explained that their decision was made after evaluating a request from the Dominican Republic to be removed from the import alert IA 99-14, the automatic review process over beans, eggplants and peppers.
"I am pleased to point out, according to the information that was provided by you, the FDA has decided to remove the products you suggested, from the detention, without examining products (DWEP) on the IA 99-14," said Michael Regers, FDA's Regional Director for Latin America, in the letter.
He clarified that the FDA would continue monitoring the entry of products released from the automatic review process under its surveillance program for imports of products that are not under the DWEP.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture