Plant Quarantine Requirements For Import Of Citruses, Berries and Stone Fruits

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has issued the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India)(Thirteenth Amendment) Order, 2024. This Order was issued on September 11 2024.

These Amendment Orders have revised the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003.

This Order has introduced revised the additional declarations required to be incorporated into Phytosanitary Certificate and Special conditions of import of fruits for consumption from Australia. These fruits include:

1. Lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, mandarins, etc. and other Rutaceous,
2. Blue berry and Cranberry and
3. Stone fruits

Conditions for Import of Citrus spp. (Lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, mandarins, etc. and other Rutaceous)

• Free from:

1. Aspidiotus nerii (aucuba scale)
2. Bactrocera aquilonis
3. Bactrocera jarvisi
4. Bactrocera neohumeralis
5. Bactrocera tryoni (Queensland fruit fly)
6. Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly)
7. Epiphyas postvittana (light brown apple moth)
8. Guignardia citricarpa (citrus black spot)
9. Pseudococcus calceolariae (scarlet mealybug)
10. Unaspis citri (citrus snow scale)

Such import shall also be subject to the following special conditions:

a. Pest-free area status for Bactrocer aaquilonis, B.neohumeralis, B. tryoni (Queensland fruit fly) and Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly) as per international standards Or
b. Methyl bromide fumigation @ 32 g/m3 for 2 hrs at 210C or above at NAP or equivalent thereof against Queensland fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly Or
c. Pre-shipment or in transit cold treatment at 30C or below for 20 days against Mediterranean fruit fly and for 16 days against Queensland fruit fly

Conditions for Import of Vaccinium spp. (Blue berry and Cranberry

• Free from:

1. Aspidiotus nerii (Aucuba scale)
2. Bactrocera tryoni (Queensland fruit fly)
3. Guignardia vaccinii (Berry speckle)
4. Pseudomonas viridiflava (Bacterial leaf blight of tomato (USA))
5. Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly)

Such import shall also be subject to the following special conditions:

i. Pest free area status for Bactrocera tryoni (Queensland fruit fly) and Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly) as per international standards or
ii. Methyl bromide fumigation @ 32 g/ m3 for 2 hrs at 210C or above under NAP; or Methyl bromide fumigation @ 32 g/ m3 for 31/2hrs at 150C or above under NAP; or equivalent thereof against Queensland fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly; or
iii. Pre shipment or in-transit cold treatment at 00C or below for 13 days or greater; 0.550C or below for 14 days or greater; 1.10C or below for 18 days or greater against Queensland fruit fly and 00C or below for 10 days or greater; 0.550C or below for 11 days or greater; 1.10C or below for 12 days or greater against Mediterranean fruit fly.

The treatment should be endorsed on Phytosanitary Certificate issued at the country of Origin/ re-export.