Regulations for fresh banana and plantain imports were updated Wednesday by APHIS’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The update will expand the Risk-Based Sampling at Ports of Entry (RBS POE) program for these imports.

The protocol aims to reduce inspections on commodities compliant with current pest and disease regulations. Additionally, RBS POE seeks to provide incentives for producers to increase product quality.

Related articles: Banana exporters charged in Colombia with financing paramilitary group

Eligible imports include fresh banana and plantain shipments coming from Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru. Only maritime shipments will be eligible for the protocol expansion.

No changes to the required entry paperwork were announced. However, PPQ and CBP recommend trading partners file entry paperwork before arrival if possible and include APHIS Core Message Set data to ensure their shipments are processed according to RBS POE procedures. 

The updated protocol will be enforced starting the week of March 25, 2024.