While bananas may be the world's most traded fruit it is a different tropical crop that is often labeled as the most popular - mangoes.

This is not yet the case in the United States, but the market is growing and so too are the sources of origin. Australia joined the list late last year and now there is another country from across the Pacific waiting in the wings for access.

Yesterday, the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published a rule proposing to allow fresh Vietnamese mangoes into the continental United States.

"The rule proposes that Vietnamese mango fruit can be safely imported into the continental United States if it meets several conditions," the service said.

"Under the proposal, the fruit would be required to be grown in an orchard which has been treated for pests, or certified as pest-free. Shipments will also need to be treated with irradiation.

"The shipments would be subject to inspection upon arrival at the port of entry into the continental United States."

Vietnam is home to a plethora of interesting mango varieties, with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimating some 100 different cultivars are grown in the country, including the green eating mango Xoai Tuong and the yellow Hoa Loc.

February to May is the harvesting season in southern Vietnam, followed by production from May to September in the north.

APHIS will be receiving comments on the proposal until Oct. 3.

On July 19, the service also opened up a comment period for a risk analysis to allow imports of fresh star apple fruit into the United States.

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