The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has added a new port option for importers of fresh Chilean blueberries grown in areas where the European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana or EGVM) is present.

In an announcement yesterday, the service said Savannah, Georgia would be added as an approved port of arrival.

APHIS requires blueberry shipments from Chile's VI (O'Higgins), VII (Maule) and VIII (Biobio) regions be fumigated with methyl bromide at the point of origin or at the first U.S. port of arrival.

As a result, Chilean blueberries from these regions are allowed to be fumigated upon arrival at the following maritime ports of entry:

• Long Beach and Los Angeles, California;

• Wilmington, Delaware;

• Miami and Port Everglades, Florida;

• Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (to include ports in the New York City metropolitan area);

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;

• Pharr-McAllen, Texas; and

• Savannah, Georgia.

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