A farmer harvests rambutan, which is one of the six Vietnamese fruits licensed to enter the US market (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - An expertfrom the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Animal and Plant HealthInspection Service (APHIS) is scheduled to arrive in Vietnam on September 2 tocontinue monitoring the treatment of fruit destined for the country, which recentlyunderwent a hiatus due to COVID-19.
The expert will first be quarantined, in linewith regulations, according to the Plant Protection Department at the Ministryof Agriculture and Rural Development.
Facing difficulties from the coronavirusoutbreak, the US recalled many of its staff in March, including those at the APHIS,in Vietnam. APHIS employees, however, are in charge of monitoring the handlingof fruit at the HCM City-based Son Son irradiation centre - the only Vietnameseirradiation facility recognised by APHIS.
While waiting for US plant quarantine experts,the Plant Protection Department worked with the US Embassy in Vietnam, askingit to send a staff member to monitor fruit irradiation to maintain exports.
The resumption of plant quarantine monitoringdid not last for long, though, as this person was not specialised in the field.The irradiation and export of fruit to the US was suspended from August 7 to 21as a result, the Plant Protection Department said.
Its data shows that Vietnam shipped over 6,000 tonnes of fruit to the US in2019 and more than 3,000 tonnes in the first half of 2020, up slightly against thesame period last year.
Six Vietnamese fruits have been licensed toenter the market: dragon fruit, rambutan, longan, lychee, custard apple, andmango./.
VNA
