The Council of Agriculture, along with the Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research (IVIA), will launch a pioneering experimental project this season to shorten cold treatment (a treatment against pests) in clementines shipped to the US.
The goal of this test will be to reduce costs derived from the current protocols and accelerate fruit shipments, thereby preventing a possible reduction in quality.
Quarantine
All clementines leaving Spain, a good number of which are shipped from the harbour in Castellon, must undergo this process. The goal is to avoid problems with fruit flies (Ceratitits capitata), a pest that requires quarantine before entering the United States. In the past five seasons, the US market, which is one of the most demanding in terms of phytosanitary and quality controls, has imported between 45,000 and 60,000 tonnes of clementines. This season, close to 8,200 hectares from 40 firms are already registered for this, although final harvest volumes still need to be estimated.
Besides the aforementioned government institutions, the Directorate General for Health Agreements and Border Control from the Ministry (MAGRAMA) and US authorities from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will supervise it on site.
After the 2011 closure of the US border, consequence of an alleged detection of live Ceratitis capitata larvae in Spanish clementines, the North American authorities tightened controls in 2002. This is why the duration of cold treatment was raised to two days before shipping to the US East Coast.
During the campaign, American and Spanish inspectors will conduct joint controls on all batches ready for export and will check that no live larvae are detected before cold treatment. After two years without any problems, the American authorities have welcomed these tests, simulating the real export conditions with an authorised container, with fruit previously infested.
Source: Elperiodicomediterraneo.com