APHIS Rescinds Federal Order Prohibiting The Importation Of Pomegranate Arils From Peru 

Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is lifting the Federal Order (DA-2018-19), which prohibited the importation of pomegranate arils from Peru. APHIS will allow importation of pomegranate arils from Peru, in accordance with an approved systems approach described in an operational workplan between APHIS and the Peru National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), after both parties finalize and sign the operational workplan. APHIS is also restricting the importation of fresh pomegranate arils from India by requiring adherence to a systems approach documented in an operational workplan between APHIS and the India NPPO. Until the operational workplan is implemented, fresh pomegranate arils from India are suspended. APHIS is taking this action in response to a detection of an Oriental fruit fly larva in a commercial shipment of pomegranate arils from India. APHIS is also requiring shipments of fresh pomegranate arils from non-restricted countries to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration issued by the NPPO in the country of origin stating that the consignment was inspected and found free of Tephritidae fruit flies.

Prior to the Federal Order, pomegranate arils were commercially enterable into the United States with inspection at the first port of entry. On June 11, 2018, APHIS issued the Federal Order which prohibited the importation of pomegranate arils from Peru into the United States in response to two detections of Mediterranean fruit fly larvae in commercial shipments of pomegranate arils from Peru. On July 11, 2018, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists at Los Angeles International Airport detected an Oriental fruit fly larva in a commercial consignment of pomegranate arils from India.

Due to the pest risk, APHIS determined that restriction of pomegranate arils from India and Peru is necessary to prevent the entry of fruit flies into the United States. This restriction applies to both commercial shipments and passenger baggage. This restriction does not affect the commercial importation of whole pomegranate fruit from Peru and India, which remain enterable with treatment.

For additional information regarding this Federal Order, please contact Senior Risk Manager Walter Gould at 301-851-2187, or Walter.P.Gould@aphis.usda.gov.

Source: USDA APHIS