APHIS to Allow Imports of Raspberries From Morocco

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will allow imports of raspberries from Morocco into the continental U.S. as of July 24, it said in a notice. APHIS previously issued a proposed rule to allow the imports (see 1608260012), but since that proposal, the agency's regulations were changed to allow fruit and vegetable imports through notifications, it said. "With those changes to the regulations, we cannot issue the final regulations as contemplated in our August 2016 proposed rule and are therefore discontinuing that rulemaking without a final rule," it said. "Instead, it is necessary for us to finalize this action through the issuance of a notification." The allowed raspberries must be produced at a registered location under a “systems approach” to mitigate for the fungus Monilinia fructigena and would have to be inspected prior to exportation from Morocco and found free of this pest, APHIS said. The raspberries would have to be imported in commercial consignments and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate from the Moroccan government, and would be subject to inspection at the U.S. port of entry.