The following additional requirements apply only to the systems approach listed above as pest mitigation strategy option 1.
Fresh cherimoya (Annona cherimola) fruit may be imported into the United States from Chile only under the following conditions and in accordance with all other applicable provisions of this subpart. These conditions are designed to prevent the introduction of the following quarantine pest: Brevipalpus chilensis mites.
Production site registration
The production site where the fruit is grown must be registered with the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Chile. Harvested cherimoya must be placed in field cartons or containers that are marked to show the official registration of the production site. Registration must be renewed annually.
Low-prevalence production site certification
The fruit must originate from a low-prevalence production site to be imported under the conditions in this section. Between 1 and 30 days prior to harvest, random samples of leaves must be collected from each registered production site under the direction of the NPPO of Chile. These samples must undergo a pest detection and evaluation method as follows: the leaves must be washed using a flushing method, placed in a 20-mesh sieve on top of a 200-mesh sieve, sprinkled with a liquid soap and water solution, washed with water at high pressure, and washed with water at low pressure. The process must then be repeated. The contents of the 200-mesh sieve must then be placed on a petri dish and analyzed for the presence of live B. chilensis mites. If a single live B. chilensis mite is found, the production site will not qualify for certification as a low-prevalence production site. Each production site may have only one opportunity per season to qualify as a low-prevalence production site, and certification of low prevalence will be valid for one harvest season only. The NPPO of Chile will present a list of certified production sites to APHIS. Fruit from those production sites not meeting the requirements for certification as low-prevalence production sites may still be imported into the United States subject to treatment as listed in this section.
Post-harvest processing
After harvest, all damaged or diseased fruit must be culled at the packinghouse and remaining fruit must be packed into new, clean boxes, crates, or other APHIS-approved packing containers.
Phytosanitary inspection
Fruit must be inspected in Chile at an APHIS-approved inspection site under the direction of APHIS inspectors in coordination with the NPPO of Chile following any post-harvest processing. A biometric sample must be drawn and examined from each consignment. Fresh cherimoya fruit can be shipped to the continental United States under the systems approach only if the consignment passes inspection. Any consignment not meeting the requirements of this paragraph for inspection can still be imported into the United States subject to treatment as listed in pest mitigation strategy option 2. Inspection procedures are as follows:
Fruit presented for inspection must be identified in the shipping documents accompanying each lot of fruit to specify the production site or sites in which the fruit was produced and the packing shed or sheds in which the fruit was processed. This identification must be maintained until the fruit is released for entry into the United States.
A biometric sample of the boxes, crates, or other APHIS-approved packing containers from each consignment will be selected by the NPPO of Chile and the fruit from these boxes, crates, or other APHIS-approved packing containers will be visually inspected for quarantine pests. If a single live B. chilensis mite is found during the inspection process, the certified low-prevalence production site where the fruit was grown will lose its certification for the remainder of the harvest season.
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