FEBRUARY 13, 2006

ISSUE 1102

USDA PROPOSES TO ALLOW PINK, RED CENTRAL AMERICAN TOMATO IMPORTS

 

USDA announced Monday (February 6) it is proposing to amend the regulations governing the importation of fruits and vegetables in order to allow pink and red tomatoes grown in approved, registered production sites in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama to be imported into the United States without treatment.

 

USDA had originally authorized the importation of tomatoes from Central America and Mexico back in 1934. However, in the early 1980s, it identified red tomatoes from Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Panama as an occasional Medfly host. At that time, permits were only issued for green tomatoes to be imported from Central America, since they are not a host. Pink tomatoes were prohibited in order to reduce confusion between pink and red tomatoes during port-of-entry inspections.

 

USDA will consider all comments received on or before April 7, 2006. Submit comments at http://www.regulations.gov, or to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0009, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0009. Include four copies of your comments.