Dear Graham, Following the various postings to the Forest List & other reports over the Internet. I have with me a report 'World Horticultural Trade & US Export Opportunities' dated August 1997, by the USDA. The introduction reads as follows: Fruit access problem with Brazil continues, joint APHIS/FAS team visit planned. Brazil continues to hold to its policy that all fruit shipments from the USA are to be fumigated, as of July 31, 1997. Shipments via air continue to be covered by the fumigation at origin requirements. FAS & APHIS have just sent a technical team to Brazil to secure a timely resolution to this problem. Brazil imposed its fumigation at origin requirement for US fruit effective June 27, 1997, following the alleged detections of Pacific spider mite & thrips in recent shipments of California stone fruit. APHIS requested that Brazil drop its recently imposed fumigation at origin requirement for US fruit in favor of a policy of fumigating only problem shipments upon arrival (ie. in cases where they detect a pest of quarantine concern). Brazil's plant quarantine agency, DDIV, responded on July 8 that the option of fumigation upon arrival for sea shipments would be permitted upon publication of a directive that authorizes the use of pure methyl bromide. US fresh fruit exports to Brazil have risen sharply in recent years. In CY 1996, shipments were valued at $21.5 million, with apples, pears, grapes, & fruit stone accounting for the bulk of the total. Without further favorable modifications, Brazil's new mandatory fumigation requirement could disrupt and/or dampen prospects for future exports. Since first arising in late June, the policy has so far resulted in the destruction of $85,000 worth of US stone fruit. Questions: 1) When the US court imposed a nation-wide ban on woodchips from New Zealand & Chile, were any pests or diseases detected in any shipments? 2) If no, what's the rationale behind the ban? 3) Would the US government allow fumigation on problem shipments only if requested by the government of both New Zealand & Chile? 4) If not, why not? 5) In imposing the ban on the said woodchips, were there any considerations given to what effect the ban could have on the economics of New Zealand & Chile? 6) What favorable modification of the ban would the US government provide for New Zealand & Chile? God bless. Nelson Wong MTC
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