Canada establishes new import rules for fruit
New requirements for Chilean grapes and blueberries will enter into force for the Canadian market the 1 of February, through a protocol that is very similar to an agreement of the South American country with South Korea.
A directive, recently published by the Food Inspection Agency of Canada (CFIA), establishes new requirements for basic products from a number of countries with the aim of preventing an incursion of Lobesia botrana, Also known as "Vine cluster moth".
The pest is present in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Chile, Argentina, Kenya, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Japan.
"The Directive establishes the requirements that regulated products from designated countries must come from a recognized pest-free zone, be fumigated with methyl bromide, or be grown under a system recognized by the CFIA."explained Latitia Scarr, from the Produce Marketing Association of Canada (CPMA) to Fruit Portal.com.
"As for Chile, there was particular concern about how this would affect exports of blueberries and grapes to Canada, either directly or through re-export from the US."
Scarr said Canada reached an agreement with Chile on a systems approach for Lobesia in the fall, and this will be effective within a month.
"Unfortunately, there were no areas that could be considered pest free for the agreement, so all produce grown domestically must be grown under Systems Approach to be allowed entry into Canada without fumigation.", Dijo.
“Producers will have to register with SAG (Chilean Agriculture and Livestock Service) and be certified as free from Lobesia botrana. If there is presence of a pest found in the inspection of products before leaving Chile, the product would need to be fumigated to enter Canada and the facility would be withdrawn from the program for the rest of the growing season ”.
"The application of the Directive of other affected raw materials of Chile will come into force on June 1 2016".
Source: Fruit Portal
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