Annual Chilean preseason meeting highlights industry concerns
Annual Chilean preseason meeting highlights industry concerns
PHILADELPHIA -- The annual preseason Chilean fruit meeting, held here Oct. 27, brought a number of revelations to the fruit import trade.
The annual meeting, which featured a workshop titled "Enhancement of Chilean Fresh Fruit Trade Operations," is presented by the Chilean & American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia. Roughly 150 people from the industry attended the meeting, which included speakers representing a variety of federal agencies, as well as ASOEX, the Chilean Exporters Association, which is based in Santiago.
Scott Wood of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who is director of the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection & Quarantine, Center for Plant Health Science & Technology, Treatment Quality Assurance Unit based in Raleigh, NC, alerted the importers and industry service providers that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently proposed changed in methyl bromide fumigation of fruit imports. The produce industry has until Nov. 24 to comment on what would be very different and very strict new EPA rules on the use of methyl bromide. "Proposed EPA label amendments [for methyl bromide] may significantly affect fumigation procedures in the future," Mr. Wood said.
A discussion of the topic among the audience affirmed the need to collectively lobby to protest changes which would create almost unmanageable regulations. The Oct. 27 meeting was directed by Donald Chrobak, fumigation director of Western Fumigation in Parsippany, NJ, who said that Western is working very hard to halt this "complex" EPA proposal. "We have to convince the EPA that the plan we have in place already works."
Mr. Chrobak said that some parts of the EPA proposal "are downright silly." The EPA took rules that apply to fumigating California farmland with methyl bromide and tried to apply those rules to warehouse fumigation. There is not a direct relationship, he said.
Another key item needing immediate trade attention was noted by Paul Mongillo, who heads operations in the port of Wilmington in Wilmington, DE, for U.S. Customs & Border Protection. Mr. Mongillo said that phytosanitary rules prevent unfumigated wood packaging that are six millimeters or more in thickness to be allowed into the United States or any country. Plywood is acceptable, however, because the processing of plywood would kill insect pests of concern.
Wood that has been properly fumigated would bear an official stamp of approval. Mr. Mongillo said that new wood rules prohibit fruit that has been trans-shipped to Canada from U.S. ports from entering the country. Some rejections have occurred this fall as non-compliant pieces of wood have been used atop fruit pallets to lend strength and support. Fruit palletization incorporating the thick, untreated wood must be either re-exported or destroyed. He said that the use of illegal wood can vary within a single fruit shipment because different foreign packers have different sources for their palletizing materials.
Feedback from the trade at the meeting indicated that this is not a regulation of which importers, nor their suppliers, were aware.
On the home security front, Mr. Mongillo said that as of April 2007, the port of Wilmington will be implementing a radiation portal. This is a screener through which trucks will drive to be screened for radioactive materials. The screeners have been fine-tuned enough to no longer be set off by the potassium in banana loads but can still be set off by truck drivers who have recently ingested radioactive liquids for medical scans. Mr. Mongillo said that scanners mounted on pickup trucks will also be applied next year in Philadelphia and Camden-area port facilities. Ports such as Newark, NJ, Los Angeles and Miami are also due for such equipment.
On yet another topic, Mr. Wood said that entomologists are working hard to double-check protocols for mites on Chilean fruit. Last January, the industry quietly and efficiently worked with government agencies to resolve finding mites. The formal mite study is to be completed by May 2007, but Mr. Wood said that the industry will be notified as solutions are found.
David Farmer, the officer in charge of the USDA-APHIS Plant Protection & Quarantine for the port of Philadelphia, said that because of the mite problem, Chilean grapes being discharged from ships for fumigation must now have a pulp temperature of 40 degrees, up from 38 degrees.
Darryl Moore, supervisor of the USDA-APHIS PPQ for the port of Wilmington, reiterated that at Wilmington, the pulp temperature move "is the big change this year."
David Holzworth, an attorney for Lepon Holzworth & Kato PLLC in Washington, DC, is also the North American representative for ASOEX. Of the mite situation, Mr. Holzworth said that a quick resolution in January "was a coordinated effort." The Chilean industry and the Delaware River service industry "have a long track record of working together. We are very grateful for the long history, and the desire to work together to solve problems."
Mr. Holzworth also addressed the effort by Coachella Valley grape growers to amend the USDA grape marketing order to move the last day for the United States to receive Chilean grapes to April 1 from April 20, or "April Fool's Day," as Mr. Holzworth put it.
He said that the Chilean industry has supplied historical data to the USDA about the relationship between the late Chilean deal and its impact, or lack thereof, on the early California deal. There is a supply gap between April 20 and when Coachella Valley growers begin shipping. In 2006, those shipments did not begin until mid-May, and California prices were at record highs. Mr. Holzworth said that this marketing situation does not make a strong argument for ending Chilean grape imports three weeks earlier. Furthermore, he said that late-season Chilean grapes are different varieties than the early Coachella grapes. Also, the early Coachella fruit is not sold in the markets served by Delaware River Valley ports.
He said that there is never a guarantee on what the USDA findings will be on such rulings, but he expects a ruling on this in early 2007.
Mr. Farmer said that his office oversaw the fumigation of 28.7 million cases of Chilean fruit between December 2005 and May 2006. In Mr. Farmer's jurisdiction, "The port of Philadelphia" includes the Tioga Marina Terminal in Philadelphia and the Gloucester (Holt) Marine Terminal in Gloucester City, NJ. Philadelphia PPQ was involved in fumigating fruit coming from 90 break-bulk vessels. Twenty-nine percent of the fruit arriving in Philadelphia was precleared in Chile. The volume of precleared fruit has risen steadily from about 9 million cases in 2003 to about 12 million in 2006.
Bill Madara, the assistant officer in charge of the USDA AMS Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Fresh Products branch in Philadelphia, said that his group inspects produce based on 158 different standards, but its inspections can be tailored to suit private standards of specialty products or brands.
Ottavio Parenti of the import program of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration said, "Chile and the FDA have a very good history." Last year there were only two pesticide violations found on Chilean produce, one of those being frozen red raspberries. Neither of these violations was discovered in fruit arriving at the ports of the Delaware River.
The annual meeting, which featured a workshop titled "Enhancement of Chilean Fresh Fruit Trade Operations," is presented by the Chilean & American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia. Roughly 150 people from the industry attended the meeting, which included speakers representing a variety of federal agencies, as well as ASOEX, the Chilean Exporters Association, which is based in Santiago.
Scott Wood of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who is director of the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection & Quarantine, Center for Plant Health Science & Technology, Treatment Quality Assurance Unit based in Raleigh, NC, alerted the importers and industry service providers that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently proposed changed in methyl bromide fumigation of fruit imports. The produce industry has until Nov. 24 to comment on what would be very different and very strict new EPA rules on the use of methyl bromide. "Proposed EPA label amendments [for methyl bromide] may significantly affect fumigation procedures in the future," Mr. Wood said.
A discussion of the topic among the audience affirmed the need to collectively lobby to protest changes which would create almost unmanageable regulations. The Oct. 27 meeting was directed by Donald Chrobak, fumigation director of Western Fumigation in Parsippany, NJ, who said that Western is working very hard to halt this "complex" EPA proposal. "We have to convince the EPA that the plan we have in place already works."
Mr. Chrobak said that some parts of the EPA proposal "are downright silly." The EPA took rules that apply to fumigating California farmland with methyl bromide and tried to apply those rules to warehouse fumigation. There is not a direct relationship, he said.
Another key item needing immediate trade attention was noted by Paul Mongillo, who heads operations in the port of Wilmington in Wilmington, DE, for U.S. Customs & Border Protection. Mr. Mongillo said that phytosanitary rules prevent unfumigated wood packaging that are six millimeters or more in thickness to be allowed into the United States or any country. Plywood is acceptable, however, because the processing of plywood would kill insect pests of concern.
Wood that has been properly fumigated would bear an official stamp of approval. Mr. Mongillo said that new wood rules prohibit fruit that has been trans-shipped to Canada from U.S. ports from entering the country. Some rejections have occurred this fall as non-compliant pieces of wood have been used atop fruit pallets to lend strength and support. Fruit palletization incorporating the thick, untreated wood must be either re-exported or destroyed. He said that the use of illegal wood can vary within a single fruit shipment because different foreign packers have different sources for their palletizing materials.
Feedback from the trade at the meeting indicated that this is not a regulation of which importers, nor their suppliers, were aware.
On the home security front, Mr. Mongillo said that as of April 2007, the port of Wilmington will be implementing a radiation portal. This is a screener through which trucks will drive to be screened for radioactive materials. The screeners have been fine-tuned enough to no longer be set off by the potassium in banana loads but can still be set off by truck drivers who have recently ingested radioactive liquids for medical scans. Mr. Mongillo said that scanners mounted on pickup trucks will also be applied next year in Philadelphia and Camden-area port facilities. Ports such as Newark, NJ, Los Angeles and Miami are also due for such equipment.
On yet another topic, Mr. Wood said that entomologists are working hard to double-check protocols for mites on Chilean fruit. Last January, the industry quietly and efficiently worked with government agencies to resolve finding mites. The formal mite study is to be completed by May 2007, but Mr. Wood said that the industry will be notified as solutions are found.
David Farmer, the officer in charge of the USDA-APHIS Plant Protection & Quarantine for the port of Philadelphia, said that because of the mite problem, Chilean grapes being discharged from ships for fumigation must now have a pulp temperature of 40 degrees, up from 38 degrees.
Darryl Moore, supervisor of the USDA-APHIS PPQ for the port of Wilmington, reiterated that at Wilmington, the pulp temperature move "is the big change this year."
David Holzworth, an attorney for Lepon Holzworth & Kato PLLC in Washington, DC, is also the North American representative for ASOEX. Of the mite situation, Mr. Holzworth said that a quick resolution in January "was a coordinated effort." The Chilean industry and the Delaware River service industry "have a long track record of working together. We are very grateful for the long history, and the desire to work together to solve problems."
Mr. Holzworth also addressed the effort by Coachella Valley grape growers to amend the USDA grape marketing order to move the last day for the United States to receive Chilean grapes to April 1 from April 20, or "April Fool's Day," as Mr. Holzworth put it.
He said that the Chilean industry has supplied historical data to the USDA about the relationship between the late Chilean deal and its impact, or lack thereof, on the early California deal. There is a supply gap between April 20 and when Coachella Valley growers begin shipping. In 2006, those shipments did not begin until mid-May, and California prices were at record highs. Mr. Holzworth said that this marketing situation does not make a strong argument for ending Chilean grape imports three weeks earlier. Furthermore, he said that late-season Chilean grapes are different varieties than the early Coachella grapes. Also, the early Coachella fruit is not sold in the markets served by Delaware River Valley ports.
He said that there is never a guarantee on what the USDA findings will be on such rulings, but he expects a ruling on this in early 2007.
Mr. Farmer said that his office oversaw the fumigation of 28.7 million cases of Chilean fruit between December 2005 and May 2006. In Mr. Farmer's jurisdiction, "The port of Philadelphia" includes the Tioga Marina Terminal in Philadelphia and the Gloucester (Holt) Marine Terminal in Gloucester City, NJ. Philadelphia PPQ was involved in fumigating fruit coming from 90 break-bulk vessels. Twenty-nine percent of the fruit arriving in Philadelphia was precleared in Chile. The volume of precleared fruit has risen steadily from about 9 million cases in 2003 to about 12 million in 2006.
Bill Madara, the assistant officer in charge of the USDA AMS Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Fresh Products branch in Philadelphia, said that his group inspects produce based on 158 different standards, but its inspections can be tailored to suit private standards of specialty products or brands.
Ottavio Parenti of the import program of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration said, "Chile and the FDA have a very good history." Last year there were only two pesticide violations found on Chilean produce, one of those being frozen red raspberries. Neither of these violations was discovered in fruit arriving at the ports of the Delaware River.
