Chile and Mexico have signed an agreement allowing Chilean grapes, kiwi and persimmons that have been fumigated with methyl bromide for 2010-11 season to be imported into Mexico, according to an announcement by Chile’s agriculture ministry.

The plan sets phytosanitary regulations aimed at keeping the mealybug (Pseudococcus viburni),  the Chilean false red mite (Brevipalpus chilensis) and the European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) out of Mexico, the news release said.

Chile’s ministry outlined a strategy for controlling the insects that include changing the radius of control around a shoot with the grapevine moth to 1.6 miles from 3.1 miles; updating a list of orchards with the grapevine moth and prohibiting exports of fruit from those sites; and improving communication between the countries’ agricultural ministries, the release said.

The agencies said in the release that the agreement would help maintain the flow of table grape exports from Chile to Mexico.

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com