U.S. Will Import Zambian Fruits, Vegetables

WASHINGTON - May 31/06 - SNS -- The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is amending its fruits and vegetables regulations to allow, under certain conditions, the importation of baby sweet corn and fresh baby carrots from Zambia into the continental United States.

Based on the scientific evidence of a recent pest risk analysis, these products can be safely imported from Zambia, provided certain conditions are met, to continue to protect the United States against introductions of plant pests and diseases.

Both commodities are subject to inspection upon arrival in the United States and have to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate, declaring the origin of the products and that they are free of quarantine pests. APHIS is requiring an additional declaration for baby sweet corn stating that the commodity has been inspected and found free of Phomopis jaczewski, a fungus present in Zambia that affects corn kernels.

APHIS is also requiring that an additional declaration accompany all imported baby carrots stating that the carrots have been inspected and found free of Meloidogyne ethiopica, a root-knot nematode. Although M. Ethiopica has not been detected in Zambia, it has been detected on carrots in Zimbabwe, which borders Zambia.

In order to verify these statements, APHIS is requiring that the National Plant Protection Organization of Zambia or its designee perform field and packinghouse inspections during the growing season to ensure shipments are pest and disease free. APHIS is requiring these measures, among others, to effectively mitigate the risk of introducing plant pests into the United States.