Fresh lemons (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.) may be imported into the continental United States from northwest Argentina (the Provinces of Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, and Tucumán) only under the conditions described in this section. These conditions are designed to prevent the introduction of the following quarantine pests: Brevipalpus chilensis, the Chilean false red mite; B. californicus, the citrus flat mite, B. obovatus, the scarlet tea mite, and B. phoenicis, the false spider mite (referred to in this section as “Brevipalpus spp. mites”); Ceratitis capitata, the Mediterranean fruit fly; Cryptoblabes gnidiella, the honeydew moth; Elsinoë australis, the causal agent of sweet orange scab disease; Gymnandrosoma aurantianum (Lima), the citrus borer; and Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (ex Hasse) Gabriel et al., the causal agent of citrus canker disease.

General requirements

Operational workplan

The National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Argentina must provide an operational workplan to APHIS detailing the activities the NPPO of Argentina and places of production and packinghouses registered with the NPPO of Argentina will, subject to APHIS's approval of the workplan, carry out to meet the requirements of this section. The operational workplan must include and describe the specific requirements as set forth in this section. APHIS will be directly involved with the NPPO of Argentina in monitoring and auditing implementation of the systems approach.

Registered places of production

The fresh lemons considered for export to the continental United States must be grown by places of production that are registered with the NPPO of Argentina and that have been determined to be free of B. chilensis in accordance with this section.

Registered packinghouses

The lemons must be packed for export to the continental United States in pest-exclusionary packinghouses registered with the NPPO of Argentina.

Recordkeeping

The NPPO of Argentina must maintain all forms and documents pertaining to registered places of production and packinghouses for at least 1 year and, as requested, provide them to APHIS for review. Based on APHIS's review of records, APHIS may monitor places of production and packinghouses as APHIS deems warranted.

Identification

The identity of each lot of lemons from Argentina must be maintained throughout the export process, from the place of production to the arrival of the lemons at the port of entry into the continental United States. The means of identification allowing the lot to be traced back to its place of production must be authorized by the operational workplan.

Safeguarding

Lots of lemons destined for export to the continental United States must be safeguarded during movement from registered places of production to registered packinghouses as specified by the operational workplan.

Place of production requirements

Prior to each harvest season, registered places of production of lemons destined for export to the continental United States must be determined by APHIS and the NPPO of Argentina to be free of B. chilensis based on biometric sampling conducted in accordance with the operational workplan. If a single live B. chilensis mite is discovered as a result of such sampling, the place of production will not be considered free of B. chilensis and will not be able to export lemons to the United States. Each place of production will have only one opportunity per harvest season to be considered free of B. chilensis, and certification of B. chilensis freedom will only last one harvest season.

Places of production must remove plant litter and fallen debris from groves in accordance with the operational workplan. Fallen fruit may not be included in field containers of fruit brought to the packinghouse to be packed for export.

Places of production must trap for C. capitata in accordance with the operational workplan. The NPPO of Argentina must keep records regarding the placement and monitoring of all traps, as well as records of all pest detections in these traps, and provide the records to APHIS as requested.

Places of production must carry out any additional grove sanitation and phytosanitary measures specified for the place of production by the operational workplan.

The NPPO of Argentina must visit and inspect registered places of production regularly throughout the exporting season for signs of infestations. These inspections must start no more than 30 days before harvest and continue until the end of the export season. The NPPO of Argentina must allow APHIS to monitor these inspections. The NPPO of Argentina must also provide records of pest detections and pest detection practices to APHIS. Before any place of production may export lemons to the continental United States, APHIS must review and approve of these practices.

If APHIS or the NPPO of Argentina determines a registered place of production has failed to follow the above requirements, the place of production will be excluded from the export program until APHIS and the NPPO of Argentina jointly agree the place of production has taken appropriate remedial measures to address the plant pest risk.

Packinghouse requirements

During the time registered packinghouses are in use for packing lemons for export to the continental United States, the packinghouses may only accept lemons that are from registered places of production and that have been produced in accordance with the requirements of this section.

Lemons destined for export to the continental United States must be packed within 24 hours of harvest in a registered pest-exclusionary packinghouse or stored in a degreening chamber in the registered pest-exclusionary packinghouse. Lemons must be packed for shipment to the continental United States in insect-proof cartons or containers, or covered with insect-proof mesh or plastic tarpaulin. These safeguards must remain intact until the lemons arrive in the United States or the consignment will not be allowed to enter the United States.

Prior to packing, the lemons must be washed, brushed, and surface disinfected for E. australis and X. citri, and in accordance with the operational workplan, treated with an APHIS-approved fungicide, and waxed.

After treatment, the NPPO of Argentina or officials authorized by the NPPO of Argentina must visually inspect a biometric sample of each consignment for quarantine pests, wash the lemons in this sample, and inspect the filtrate for B. chilensis in accordance with the operational workplan. A portion of the lemons must then be cut open and inspected for evidence of quarantine pests.

If a single C. gnidiella or G. aurantianum in any stage of development is found on the lemons, the entire consignment is prohibited from export to the United States, and the registered place of production that produced the lemons is suspended from the export program until APHIS and the NPPO of Argentina jointly agree the place of production has taken appropriate remedial measures to address plant pest risk.

If a single B. chilensis or Brevipalpus spp. mite in any stage of development is found on the lemons, the entire consignment is prohibited from export to the United States, and, pending an investigation, the registered place of production that produced the lemons may be suspended from the export program.

If a single immature Medfly is found in or with the lemons, the lemons must be treated in accordance with 7 CFR part 305 and the operational workplan. Additionally, pending an investigation, the registered place of production that produced the lemons in the consignment may be suspended from the export program.

If APHIS or the NPPO of Argentina determines a registered packinghouse has failed to follow the above requirements, the packinghouse will be excluded from the export program until APHIS and the NPPO of Argentina jointly agree the packinghouse has taken appropriate remedial measures to address the plant pest risk.