The following additional requirements apply to both pest mitigation options 1 and 2.
If the fruit is produced in an area of Chile where Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) is known to occur, the fruit must be cold treated in accordance with 7 CFR Part 305. Fruit for which cold treatment is required must be accompanied by documentation indicating the cold treatment was initiated in Chile (a PPQ Form 203 or its equivalent may be used for this purpose).
The following additional requirements apply to only pest mitigation option 2.
Production site registration
The production site at which the fruit is grown must be registered with the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Chile. To register, the production site must provide the NPPO of Chile with the following information: production site name, grower, municipality, Province, region, area planted to each species, number of plant/hectares/species, and approximate date of harvest. Registration must be renewed annually.
Low-prevalence production site certification
Between 1 to 30 days prior to harvest, random samples of fruit 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 fruit and pedicels must be washed using a flushing method, placed in a 20-mesh sieve on top of a 200-mesh or finer 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 sieves 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 and will be eligible to export fruit to the United States only if the fruit is fumigated in accordance with the approved fumigation paragraph below. Each production site may have only one opportunity per harvest 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.
Post-harvest processing
After harvest and before packing, the fruit must be washed, rinsed in a potable water bath, washed with detergent with brushing using bristle rollers, rinsed with a hot-water shower with brushing using bristle rollers, predried at room temperature, waxed, and dried with hot air.
Phytosanitary inspection
The 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 after the post-harvest processing. A biometric sample will be drawn and examined from each consignment of fruit, which may represent multiple grower lots from different packing sheds. Fruit in any consignment may be shipped to the United States only if the consignment passes inspection as follows.
Fruit presented for inspection must be identified in the shipping documents accompanying each lot of fruit that identify the production site(s) at which the fruit was produced and the packing shed(s) at 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 boxes from each consignment will be selected and the fruit from these boxes will be visually inspected for quarantine pests, and a portion of the fruit will be washed and the collected filtrate will be microscopically examined for B. chilensis.
If a single live B. chilensis mite is found, the fruit will be eligible for importation into the United States only if it is fumigated in Chile in accordance with the approved fumigation paragraph below. The production site will be suspended from the low-prevalence certification program and all subsequent lots of fruit from the production site of origin will be required to be fumigated as a condition of entry to the United States for the remainder of the shipping season.
If inspectors find evidence of any other quarantine pest, the fruit in the consignment will remain eligible for importation into the United States only if a treatment for the pest is authorized by 7 CFR Part 305 and the entire consignment is treated for the pest in Chile under APHIS supervision.
Approved fumigation
Fruit that does not meet the conditions of the systems approach may be imported into the United States if the fruit is fumigated either in Chile or at the port of first arrival in the United States with methyl bromide for B. chilensis in accordance with 7 CFR Part 305. An APHIS inspector will monitor the fumigation of the fruit and will prescribe such safeguards as may be necessary for unloading, handling, and transporting preparatory to fumigation. The final release of the fruit for entry into the United States will be conditioned upon compliance with prescribed safeguards and required treatment.
Trust fund agreement
Fruit may be imported into the United States under this section only if the NPPO of Chile or a private export group has entered into a trust fund agreement with APHIS in accordance with 7 CFR Part 305.
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