Arizona expands citrus quarantine
Under the quarantine no citrus, especially fruit with leaves attached, can be shipped out of state unless washed, disinfected, inspected and certified by the state agriculture department.
Citrus plants should not be shipped in or out of state without being properly safeguarded and certified. Sending uninspected fruit to areas where citrus isn’t grown isn’t advised, since shipments can be routed through citrus-growing areas en route.
Expansion of the quarantine shouldn’t have much of an effect on Yuma County growers who have already been working under the quarantine for five years, he said. There are about 11,000 acres of citrus groves in the county, down from previous years due to market forces and not the quarantine, he said.
Caravetta urged continued vigilance by the public on citrus shipments during the gift-giving holiday season, saying the area’s seasonal, transient population will need to be reeducated on how to live under the quarantine.
Source: yumasun.com
