Subject: Fruit & Nut Importing

From: [email-masked] (Bob Batson)
Date: Sat, 17 Sep 94 13:24:00 -0600

Restrictions on Importing Fruit & Nut Materials

  The following is excerpted from "Awareness of U.S. Quarantine
Requirements for Introducing Fruit & Nut Germplasm," by George A. White
(U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Center, Bldg.
003, Room 409, Beltsville, MD 20705), which appeared in _Pomona_ 27(3),
Summer 1994, 16-18 (published by the North American Fruit Explorers, Rt.
1, Box 94, Chapin, IL 62628). We suggest contacting Mr. White directly
if any of the requirements seem unclear to you.
  Fruit hobbyists such as NAFEX members and researchers must be aware
of U.S. import requirements for fruit and nut crops when requesting
plant materials from overseas. Federal plant regulations are designed to
protect American agriculture, from new and damaging plant pests,
diseases, weeds, and parasitic plants. There are only three quarantine
categories for plant materials being introduced to the United States:
  1. Generally admissible---subject to inspection upon entry and
freedom from plant pests, diseases, soil, and other prohibited matter.
Permits may be required.
  2. Postentry---recipient must have a permit which will specify exact
conditions under which the plant materials may be grown. After
inspection at the port of entry, the materials are forwarded to the
permitee. The postentry period is usually two years.
  3. Prohibited---most restrictive category---enterable only under
special permit for research purposes and in most cases only those
persons doing the virus-indexing are approved as permittees.
  Vegetative introductions of the temperate fruit genera Cydonia
[quinces], Malus [apples], Prunus [stone fruits], and Pyrus [pears] are
in the "prohibited" quarantine category from all countries except
Belgium, Canada, England, France, Germany, and The Netherlands. With
proper certification, cuttings from these countries (except Canada)
are enterable under postentry permit---that is, the intended recipient
can receive the materials under the conditions of the permit. Such
materials must come from approved research stations/nurseries and the
accompanying phytosanitary certifications must contain a statement
similar to "This material meets the specifications of the U.S.
Quarantine Act, Article 7 CFR 319.37-5(b), having been indexed for
potential harmful viruses." Properly certified materials from Canada are
admissible under special arrangements similar to port permits. Normally
prohibited cuttings of these four fruit genera and restricted Prunus
seeds (except cherries) must be virus-indexed at U.S.D.A. facilities in
Beltsville and Glenn Dale, Maryland.
  Seeds of Malus, Pyrus, and cherries are admissible with an import
permit, subject to inspection and freedom from plant pests, diseases,
etc. Several species of Prunus are susceptible to plum pox virus
(sharka), and the seeds can transmit this devastating virus. Therefore,
seeds of susceptible Prunus species are prohibited unless properly
certified free of plum pox. Prunus seeds not properly certified free of
plum pox must be indexed before release for research and evaluation.
The cherry complex of Prunus subgenus cerasus is considered immune to
plum pox. With proper certification of origin, these seeds are
admissible with a permit and are subject to inspection upon U.S. entry
  Quarantine-restricted vegetative propagules of other selected fruit
and nut genera are shown below. Generally, seeds of listed items, except
for mango, are admissible with an import permit.
  Listed in order of genus, quarantine category, and countries from
which restricted; *admissible, **prohibited.
  Actinidia (kiwi), postentry, all except Australia*, Canada*, Japan**,
New Zealand*, and Taiwan**.
  Aesculus (horsechestnut, buckeye), postentry, all except Canada*,
Czechoslovakia**, Germany**, Romania**, and the United Kingdom**.
  Castanea (chestnut), prohibited (seeds admissible with fumigation),
all.
  Citrus (oranges, etc.), prohibited (seeds admissible with fumigation),
all.
  Corylus (filbert, hazelnut),postentry (nut-bearing types), all except
Canada.
  Crataegus monogyna [(English hawthorn)], postentry, Europe.
  [other] Crataegus species [hawthorns], postentry, all.
  Cydonia (quince), prohibited, all except for countries meeting the
conditions for importation in quarantine code 319.37-5(b).
  Juglans (walnut), postentry, all except Canada.
  Mangifera (mango), prohibited (seed only), all except North and South
America (also prohibited from Barbados, Dominica, French Guinea,
Guadeloupe, Martinique, and St. Lucia; postentry, plants.
  Morus (mulberry), postentry, all except Canada*, India**, Japan**,
Korea**, China**, Thailand**, and the area previously known as the
U.S.S.R.**.
  Ribes (currant, gooseberry), postentry, all except Canada* and
Europe**.
  Rubus (blackberry, raspberry), postentry, all unless exempted from
postentry per quarantine code 319.37-5(e,f).
  Vaccinium (blueberry), postentry, all except Canada.
  Vitis (grape), prohibited, all except Canada (if properly certified.
  Before importing any quarantine-restricted plant materials, be sure
that the items are not already in the U.S. This can be checked in part
through the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database, the
appropriate crop curator [see _HortIdeas_, July 1994, page 78], and U.S.
source listings ... The Permit Unit of the Animal Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) can provide information about quarantine
status, permit requirements, and application forms (Permit Unit,
USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Federal Bldg., Room 631, Hyattsville, MD 20782, phone
301-436-8645, fax 301-436-5786. Assistance with introduction procedures
is available from the Plant Introduction Office (PIO), USDA Agric. Res.
Center, Bldg. 003, Room 409, Beltsville, MD 20705, phone 301-504-5328,
fax 301-504-6305.
  When introducing items that must be virus-indexed by the U.S.D.A.,
you should be highly selective in order to minimize the number of
accessions. Send a copy of your request letters to PIO; and for
hand-carried items, let us know the plant materials involved and return
schedule (airport, airline, flight number, date and time of arrival).
Inform us well in advance of any importations that will come through
Beltsville or will have to be transferred here from the entry
airport.
  In summary, you need to know the quarantine status of any plants
before you receive them. It is recommended that you contact the APHIS
Permit Unit before importing any plants or plant parts. If you receive
quarantine-restricted materials from a foreign country (a) by direct
mail, (b) by air or erroneously released by agricultural inspectors, or
(c) entered through an airport when an agricultural inspector was not
present, immediately contact the APHIS Permit Unit or the PIO in order
that arrangements may be made to have the materials properly
inspected and handled according to current regulations.
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Reprinted with permission from the August 1994 _HortIdeas_. Copyright
1994 by Greg and Pat Williams. HortIdeas is $15 (2nd class mail within
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40328, USA.

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Bob Batson                              L 39 12 14 N  94 33 16 W
[email-masked]

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