US Allowing Thai Fresh Fruits to be Imported

        On February 1 st , 2006, the authorities of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the US Ministry of Agriculture traveled to Thailand to sign the Framework Equivalency Work Plan (FEWP), which allows 6 types of Thai fruits treated with the irradiation method for preventing the spread of plant insects - mango, mangoseteen, pineapple, rambutan, lychee, and longan – to be imported in the US in the fresh form under the condition that Thailand must permit agricultural produces of the US, such as irradiated oranges, to enter into Thailand as well.

     Signing FEWP is a starting point of arranging agreement made between the US and Thailand in opening a market for irradiated agricultural produces. It is expected that before the end of 2006 Thailand will be able to export fresh fruits to the US . The US Agriculture Ministry's regulations on irradiating imported fruits are as follows:

1. Identify the amount of radiation that allows to use for preventing the spread of plant insects. It is used with the agricultural produces such as vegetables, fruits, flowers, and all types of flower species.

2. Imposition on Irradiation Plant

2.1 Venue and method of irradiation must be certified by the US . Ministry of Agriculture and an application for a certification must be filed again in the cases of:

• any change made in terms of volume of radiation or method of irradiation,
• a big improvement of equipment made,
• the owner or executive of a factory changed.

2.2 Setting up of an irradiation plant and fruits not yet irradiated are not allowed to go through or enter into the states of Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgea, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia with the exception that an irradiation plant may be permitted to be established at Gulfport in Mississippi State or Willimington in North Carolina State or in the airport area of Atlanta in Georgea State if:

2.2.1 vegetables and fruits that have been irradiated for importing to the US . must be packed in a package with no holes and made from the material that can prevent fruit fly. A carton must be tightly sealed and can be easily seen through in case of it is opened after sealed. 2.2.2 an irradiation plant must make it clear about a delivery route between a cargo boat and a factory with APHIS in advance and receive a permission from APHIS.
2.2.3 products must not be taken out of a package before getting in the operational management procedures regardless of any cases.
2.2.4 within a factory black light, sticky paper, and insect trapping methods must be used within a four-square mile radius around a factory.
2.2.5 a factory must have the controlling measures, certified by APHIS, concerning destruction of fruits.

2.3 In the case of irradiating fruits in the US., an official permission must be sought. The US . will grant a permission to open a factory if transporting the products to be irradiated from a port to an irradiation plant can be done without any danger that may cause by the escape of plant insects. An importer and an irradiation plant must sign an agreement with the US . Ministry of Agriculture that they will abide by law and regulations, including prevention of plant insects from escaping. They must also guarantee that they will not change a delivery route to other destinations other than the permitted irradiation plant.

2.4 For the case of an irradiation plant established outside the US., the irradiation plant must sign the agreement with the US . Ministry of Agriculture and Plant and Vegetable Prevention Agency in its country that they will abide by law, regulations, impositions of the US.; and the country where a factory is set up must consent to monitor whether the US. laws are followed.

3. Monitoring and agreement made between agencies

    Fruit management, including inspection of management record, inspection without notifying before hand, and inspection of products both before and after irradiating, must be monitored by an inspector. In doing so, the factory to perform irradiation must notify Director of Preclearance, PPQ, APHIS in the Head Office in Washing D.C. at least 30 days in advance prior to operation. This is to guarantee that monitoring and control measures are appropriate.

4.Package is imposed as follows:

4.1 All types of irradiated vegetables and fruits must be packed in a treated carton only.

4.1.1 A carton must be able to keep plant insects in place. It must be tightly sealed and can be seen inside easily in case of being opened after it is sealed.
4.1.2 A carton that cannot keep plant insects must be kept in a room that can prevent insects from getting in. It may be a room with walls or screens. Before being transported out of this room, each carton must be wrapped with polyesthylene or a net which insects cannot get in.

4.2 Packages sent to the US. must be labeled with lot number, an irradiating factory, and packaging factory. If a whole set of packages is packed in one big carton, only one label is required to put on a carton. But, if it is individual small cartons, a label must be applied on each of small cartons.

5.Other impositions

5.1 Each delivery of the products irradiated in a factory outside the US. must have Phytosanitary Certificate, with the complete details of treatment, issued by Plant Protection and Quarantine Agency in an export country.

5.2 The volume of radiation used must be indicated. Measuring the quantity of radiation to be used must follow the US. laws.

5.3 Irradiation of each lot of products must be recorded in details; and the record must be kept at least one year and ready for inspection any time.

5.4 A license filing and a factory inspection must be done directly with the US. Ministry of Agriculture. Name of owner, venue, source of radiation, details of a factory construction, Management system, etc. must be identified before issuing a license. In doing so, an authorit y from the US. Ministry of Agriculture will inspect the factory himself.

Contact Agencies

1. Filing for a license and factory inspection: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Center for Plant Health Inspection and Technology, 1017 Main Campus Drive, Suite 2500, Raleigh, NC 27606

2. Notification of Plant, Vegetable, Fruit Irradiation Business: Director of Preclearance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 140, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236
3. Questions on Packaging: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Center for Plant Health Inspection and Technology, 1017 Main Campus Drive, Suite 2500, Raleigh, NC 27606

Source: National Food Institute, www.nfi.or.th