The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is advising the public that we are revising our requirements for the importation of fresh Unshu oranges from Japan. With this action, Unshu oranges from the island of Kyushu may be imported into any port in the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. Additionally, APHIS will remove the methyl bromide fumigation requirement for imports of Unshu oranges from the islands of Shikoku and Honshu.
Prior to this action, Unshu oranges from the islands of Shikoku or Honshu had to be fumigated with methyl bromide if the oranges were destined to certain U.S. ports of entry. Additionally, Unshu oranges from the island of Kyushu were prohibited entry into Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, or Texas. Based on the findings of the commodity import evaluation documents and a thorough evaluation of comments from the public, APHIS has determined that Unshu oranges can be safely imported into the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii under a systems approach.
A systems approach is a series of measures taken by growers, packers, and shippers that, in combination, minimize pest risks prior to importation into the United States. In this case, the systems approach includes integrated pest management, survey and trapping of quarantine pests, and packinghouse registration and protocols. Additionally, each shipment must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating the Unshu oranges were produced in accordance with the requirements authorized under 7 CFR 319.56-4.
APHIS announced its final decision today in a notice in the Federal Register here. The conditions for import can be found in the Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements database.