USDA allows irradiated Thai fruit into the United States
USDA allows irradiated Thai fruit into the United States
WASHINGTON -- Thailand is set to become the first country allowed to send irradiated fruits to the United States, according to a Jan. 31 agreement signed in Bangkok between Thai and U.S. officials.
Under a joint Framework Equivalency Work Plan, Thailand would be allowed to initially ship six irradiated fruits: mango, mangosteen, pineapple, rambutan, litchi and longan. Thailand is hoping the agreement paves the way for Thai producers to send other pest-free fruits, such as coconuts, to the U.S. market.
In return, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that Thailand would allow irradiated U.S. agriculture commodities such as citrus past its borders, once the agreement is finalized.
"At this time, we have no official requests from U.S. industry expressing interest in shipping irradiated U.S. commodities to Thailand," said Melissa O'Dell, spokesperson for the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service. The only commodity discussed was citrus. However, if other businesses express interest, USDA would initiate discussions to have them included, she said.
The new accord marks the first time a foreign country has been approved to ship irradiated fruits into the United States under a 2002 USDA regulation, which set up guidelines for accepting foreign-grown irradiated agriculture commodities. In recent years, irradiation treatment has become the most promising, single-treatment quarantine alternative to methyl bromide, said APHIS. The regulation allows the use of irradiation to control fruit flies in imported fruits and vegetables.
Thai fruit exporters view the deal as beneficial since it would boost exports to the lucrative U.S. market. Press reports quoted Thai officials as saying that they fully expected to begin the exporting of fruit to the United States in September.
However, USDA must first publish the work plan as a proposed rule and allow time for comment before the deal is finalized. At that point, Ms. O'Dell said that U.S. producers would get a chance to voice their opinions about the latest development.
While Thailand is the first country to reach an agreement with the United States, Ms. O'Dell said that USDA officials are in similar discussions with Mexican agriculture leaders to ship irradiated produce.
Under a joint Framework Equivalency Work Plan, Thailand would be allowed to initially ship six irradiated fruits: mango, mangosteen, pineapple, rambutan, litchi and longan. Thailand is hoping the agreement paves the way for Thai producers to send other pest-free fruits, such as coconuts, to the U.S. market.
In return, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that Thailand would allow irradiated U.S. agriculture commodities such as citrus past its borders, once the agreement is finalized.
"At this time, we have no official requests from U.S. industry expressing interest in shipping irradiated U.S. commodities to Thailand," said Melissa O'Dell, spokesperson for the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service. The only commodity discussed was citrus. However, if other businesses express interest, USDA would initiate discussions to have them included, she said.
The new accord marks the first time a foreign country has been approved to ship irradiated fruits into the United States under a 2002 USDA regulation, which set up guidelines for accepting foreign-grown irradiated agriculture commodities. In recent years, irradiation treatment has become the most promising, single-treatment quarantine alternative to methyl bromide, said APHIS. The regulation allows the use of irradiation to control fruit flies in imported fruits and vegetables.
Thai fruit exporters view the deal as beneficial since it would boost exports to the lucrative U.S. market. Press reports quoted Thai officials as saying that they fully expected to begin the exporting of fruit to the United States in September.
However, USDA must first publish the work plan as a proposed rule and allow time for comment before the deal is finalized. At that point, Ms. O'Dell said that U.S. producers would get a chance to voice their opinions about the latest development.
While Thailand is the first country to reach an agreement with the United States, Ms. O'Dell said that USDA officials are in similar discussions with Mexican agriculture leaders to ship irradiated produce.
