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Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service logo Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR)
Effective October 1, 2022 the Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR) database has been replaced by the Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements database at https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/


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Commodity Import Report (CIR)

Tomato (Fruit) from Nicaragua into All Ports
The CIR contains current import regulation information for the selected Commodity Import (a specific commodity approved from a designated country, or region, into one or more designated ports). A flag ( Access Restricted to APHIS/CBP ) indicates information that is intended for and available to an APHIS/CBP audience only.
Solanum lycopersicum L. Commodity Summary Guide Page Country Summary

Import Requirements
1 Admissible Plant Parts: Fruit
2 Admissible Ports: All Ports
3 Subject to Inspection: This commodity is subject to inspection at the port of entry and all general requirements of 7 CFR 319.56-3.
4 Commercial Consignments Only
5 Stage of Ripeness: Green tomatoes
  5.1 Import Permit Required: An Import Permit is required. To obtain a permit, go to APHIS eFile.
6 Stage of Ripeness: Pink or red tomatoes
  6.1 Import Permit Required: NOTICE: program phytosanitary requirements designed for this commodity to meet U.S. entry requirements have not been met. Therefore, import permits will not be issued at this time.
  6.2 Phytosanitary Certificate: Must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of the country of origin stating the tomatoes were grown in an approved production site and the consignment has been inspected and found free of pests listed in the additional requirements.
  6.3 Packaging or Labeling Requirements: The shipping box must be labeled with the identity of the production site.
Commodity Information
7 For additional commodity information and images, visit https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=101442  
Additional Requirements
8

Pink or red tomatoes may be imported into the United States from this country only under the following conditions:

From areas free of Mediterranean fruit fly:

The tomatoes must be grown and packed in an area that has been determined by APHIS to be free of Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) in accordance with the procedures described in § 319.56-5.

A preharvest inspection of the production site must be conducted by the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of the exporting country for pea leafminer, tomato fruit borer, and potato spindle tuber viroid. If any of these pests are found to be generally infesting the production site, the NPPO may not allow exports from that production site until the NPPO and APHIS have determined risk mitigation has been achieved.

The tomatoes must be packed in insect-proof cartons or containers or covered with insect-proof mesh or plastic tarpaulin at the packinghouse for transit to the United States. These safeguards must remain intact until arrival in the United States.

The exporting country's NPPO is responsible for export certification, inspection, and issuance of phytosanitary certificates. Each consignment of tomatoes must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO and stating the tomatoes were grown in an area recognized to be free of Medfly and the consignment has been inspected and found free of the pests listed in the requirements.

From areas where Medfly is considered to exist:

The tomatoes must be grown in approved registered production sites. Initial approval of the production sites will be completed jointly by the exporting country's NPPO and APHIS. The exporting country's NPPO must visit and inspect the production sites monthly starting 2 months before harvest and continuing through until the end of the shipping season. APHIS may monitor the production sites at any time during this period.

Tomato production sites must consist of pest-exclusionary greenhouses, which must have double self-closing doors and have all other openings and vents covered with 1.6 mm (or less) screening.

Registered sites must contain traps for the detection of Medfly both within and around the production site as follows:

Traps with an approved protein bait for Medfly must be placed inside the greenhouses at a density of four traps per hectare, with a minimum of two traps per greenhouse. Traps must be serviced on a weekly basis.

If a single Medfly is detected inside a registered production site or in a consignment, the registered production site will lose its ability to export tomatoes to the United States until APHIS and the exporting country's NPPO mutually determine risk mitigation is achieved.

Medfly traps with an approved lure must be placed inside a buffer area 500 meters wide around the registered production site, at a density of 1 trap per 10 hectares and a minimum of 10 traps. These traps must be checked at least every 7 days. At least 1 of these traps must be near the greenhouse. Traps must be set for at least 2 months before export and trapping must continue to the end of the harvest.

Capture of 0.7 or more Medflies per trap per week will delay or suspend the harvest, depending on whether harvest has begun, for consignments of tomatoes from that production site until APHIS and the exporting country's NPPO can agree the pest risk has been mitigated.

The greenhouse must be inspected prior to harvest for pea leafminer, tomato fruit borer, and potato spindle tuber viroid. If any of these pests, or other quarantine pests, are found to be generally infesting the greenhouse, exports from that production site will be halted until the exporting country's NPPO and APHIS determine the pest risk has been mitigated.

The exporting country's NPPO must maintain records of trap placement, checking of traps, and any Medfly captures in addition to production site and packinghouse inspection records. The exporting country's NPPO must maintain an APHIS-approved quality control program to monitor or audit the trapping program. The trapping records must be maintained for APHIS's review.

The tomatoes must be packed within 24 hours of harvest in a pest-exclusionary packinghouse. The tomatoes must be safeguarded by an insect-proof mesh screen or plastic tarpaulin while in transit to the packinghouse and while awaiting packing. The tomatoes must be packed in insect-proof cartons or containers, or covered with insect-proof mesh or plastic tarpaulin, for transit into the United States. These safeguards must remain intact until arrival in the United States or the consignment will be denied entry into the United States.

During the time the packinghouse is in use for exporting tomatoes to the United States, the packinghouse may only accept tomatoes from registered approved production sites.

The exporting country's NPPO is responsible for export certification, inspection, and issuance of phytosanitary certificates. Each consignment of tomatoes must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO stating the tomatoes were grown in an approved production site and the consignment has been inspected and found free of the pests listed in the requirements.

Page ID: CIRReportP
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