APHIS Proposes to Loosen Cold Treatment Requirements for Australian Grapefruit

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service proposing to change cold treatment requirements for grapefruits imported from Australia, it said (here). Currently, grapefruit may be imported from Australia if it was produced in fruit fly-free areas in Riverina, Riverland or Sunraysia, or if it has been subject to cold treatment to mitigate fruit fly risks. The current cold treatment, T107-d, requires refrigeration at or below 2.22° C for up to 22 days. APHIS is proposing to extend treatment schedule T107-d-3 to Australian grapefruit, which would allow cold treatment at up to 3° C for no more than 14 days to meet U.S. entry requirements. Comments are due Nov. 15.