US allows import of six fruits from Thailand
Thailand will be able to export six more types of fruit to the US now that the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has set the conditions for their import.
Lychees, longans, mangos, mangosteens, pineapples and rambutans are expected to add Bt600 million to the value of fruit exports to the US next year, according to Agriculture Minister Thira Sutabutra.To protect against the introduction of pests into the United States, the fruit must be grown in production areas registered and monitored by the national plant-protection organisation of Thailand, irradiated at specified doses and inspected. The fruit must also be accompanied by a sanitary certificate and a declaration that the fruit has been irradiated in Thailand. In the case of lychees, the declaration must also state that the fruit is free of Peronophythora litchi, a fungal pest. Lychees and longans are prohibited from entry into and distribution in Florida due to the risk of introducing the litchi rust mite Aceria litchi. Thailand exports 24,000-36,000 tonnes of fruit to the US each year. The Agriculture Ministry has ordered the National Bureau of Food and Commodity Standards to work closely with government agencies to boost exports of the six fruits. Exporters can apply to the Thai government and relevant US agencies for inspection and approval, the ministry said.
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