OREANDA-NEWS. August 16, 2016. After careful evaluation of the production practices and medfly trapping and eradication activities in the provinces of Distrito Nacional and Santo Domingo, APHIS has added the areas to the list of provinces from which Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) host material can be shipped to the United States under the following conditions:
  • Medfly host material must originate from areas of the Dominican Republic that do not present a risk of introducing Medfly into the United States.
  • Medfly host material from non-restricted areas must be moved in exclusionary containers to prevent the contamination.
  • Shipments must be inspected and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture indicates the province of origin.

The following is the list of Medfly host materials as determined by APHIS in its March 2015 Federal Order:

avocado* longan pepper
clementine mamey (sapote) pummelo
grape mandarin tangelo
grapefruit mango** tangerine
lemon orange tomato
litchi papaya tuna (cactus fruit)

*Hass avocadoes and green tomatoes are enterable from restricted areas.

**Commercial shipments of mangoes from the Dominican Republic are enterable under the conditions of the APHIS hot water treatment preclearance program. In addition, the Dominican Republic has met the requirements to allow irradiation of mangoes upon entry to United States. Mangoes must be irradiated at an APHIS-approved U.S. irradiation facility with a minimum absorbed dose of 400 gy and must meet the requirements of 7 CFR parts 305 and 319.