U.S. opens door to Central American tomatoes
U.S. opens door to Central American tomatoes
Effective Aug. 28, pink and red tomatoes grown in approved registered production sites in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama may be shipped to the United States.
Nick Gutierrez, acting administrator of the USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, made the announcement Aug. 22 in the Federal Register.
The Federal Register notification stated, "The conditions to which the importation of tomatoes will be subject, including trapping, pre-harvest inspection and shipping procedures, are designed to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States. This action will allow for the importation of pink and red tomatoes from those countries in Central America while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States. Making this rule effective immediately will allow interested producers, importers, shippers and others to benefit immediately from the relief in restrictions."
According to APHIS, U.S. imports of Central American tomatoes have fluctuated greatly over the last 15 years, and the latest action applies to imports of all varieties of tomatoes.
"Although this rule will allow for more liberal importation of tomatoes from certain Central American countries, it is unlikely that the changes will lead to dramatic increases in U.S. import levels from that region," according to APHIS. APHIS estimates that imported tomatoes will equate to only 0.7 percent of domestic production in 2004 and 1.4 percent of 2004 imports.
Nick Gutierrez, acting administrator of the USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, made the announcement Aug. 22 in the Federal Register.
The Federal Register notification stated, "The conditions to which the importation of tomatoes will be subject, including trapping, pre-harvest inspection and shipping procedures, are designed to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States. This action will allow for the importation of pink and red tomatoes from those countries in Central America while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States. Making this rule effective immediately will allow interested producers, importers, shippers and others to benefit immediately from the relief in restrictions."
According to APHIS, U.S. imports of Central American tomatoes have fluctuated greatly over the last 15 years, and the latest action applies to imports of all varieties of tomatoes.
"Although this rule will allow for more liberal importation of tomatoes from certain Central American countries, it is unlikely that the changes will lead to dramatic increases in U.S. import levels from that region," according to APHIS. APHIS estimates that imported tomatoes will equate to only 0.7 percent of domestic production in 2004 and 1.4 percent of 2004 imports.
