The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has modified conditions for moving fresh citrus from Mexfly quarantined areas in Texas' Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). This change aims to make treatments more feasible or economically viable.
Growers in the core areas of the LRGV Mexfly quarantined zones can process citrus for juice or use one of four post-harvest treatments: chamber methyl bromide fumigation, high-temperature forced air, cold treatment, or irradiation. These treatments are detailed in the APHIS Treatment Manual within the Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements database.
For those outside the infested core but within quarantined areas, pre-harvest treatments include malathion or spinosad bait spray, alongside the same post-harvest options. However, some producers find these options either not feasible or economically viable.
A recent federal order introduces an additional post-harvest treatment: a tarpaulin (tarped container) methyl bromide treatment, equivalent to the chamber methyl bromide fumigation option (T101-j-2-1). This applies to fresh citrus from quarantined and core areas, requiring an APHIS-approved post-harvest treatment.
Export of fresh citrus using this method is restricted unless it meets existing export certification requirements for regulated articles from fruit fly-quarantined areas.
The new treatment option will be added to the APHIS Treatment Manual's domestic schedules, followed by a notice in the Federal Register.
Source: Citrus Industry