U.S. authorities are considering lifting regional restrictions on Peruvian citrus imports, predicting market effects should be minimal.

Peru is currently only permitted to ship fresh grapefruit, limes, mandarins, oranges, tangerines or hybrids, sweet oranges, and tangelos to the continental U.S. from Ica, Lima, Lambayeque, Piura and Junin.

In a notice on the Federal Register, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said that based on the findings of a pest list and commodity import evaluation document, it had determined a systems approach would mitigate the phytosanitary risks associated with citrus production in other areas of the Andean country.

Imports would only be permitted in commercial consignments and would be subject to the same conditions as current shipments.

"This action would allow the importation of citrus fruit from the entire country of Peru while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of plant pests into the continental United States," the entity said.

The proposed rule is expected to increase the area in Peru approved to produce citrus for export to the U.S. to about 1,500 hectares over three years.

AHPIS said additional volumes of citrus expected to be shipped to the U.S. were 5,000 metric tons (MT) in the first year the rule was in effect, 6,500 MT in the second year, and 8,000 MT in the third year.

It added these quantities were equivalent to less than 1% of annual U.S. citrus production or U.S. citrus imports.

"The primary entities that may be affected by the rule are citrus producers, citrus importers, and support industries such as packinghouses," AHPIS said.

"Based on data from the 2012 Census of Agriculture and Small Business Administration small-entity standards, the majority of these operations are small.

"Under these circumstances, the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that this action would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities."

The proposed rule comes recently after representatives from Peru’s National Agricultural Health Service (SENASA) met with their U.S. counterparts.

"For four years we have been working to be able to export citrus from the whole of Peru, and gaining approval for rainforest regions would make them much more competitive as there could be large investments," SENASA head Jorge Barrenechea Cabrera said earlier.

APHIS is holding a public comment period on the proposed regulation until June 30.

Click here to view the full proposal or make a comment.

Photo: www.shutterstock.com

www.freshfruitportal.com