Hong Kong
The Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service is encouraging U.S. exporters of ground beef to Hong Kong to confirm that their importers have secured the required permit from the Center for Food Safety prior to shipment arrival because Hong Kong will not issue an import license without such a permit. Each permit allows multiple shipments within one year for ground meats, which are otherwise prohibited from entering Hong Kong. FAS notes that traders importing ground beef goods into Hong Kong without a permit could be subject to a fine and up to six months of imprisonment.
China
FAS reports that on June 28 China’s General Administration of Customs announced that imported plant-based feed, plant-based fertilizers and cultivation media, plant-based Chinese medicinal materials, tobacco leaves, fresh vegetables, fishmeal for feed, and animal skins no longer require inspection and quarantine approval for entry into China. However, these commodities must come from countries or regions that have been approved for access by China and from overseas production, processing, and storage establishments or facilities registered with China Customs.
Grapes from Chile
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that, in addition to the existing option of methyl bromide fumigation for European grapevine moth and Chilean false red mite, fresh table grapes from Chile may be safely imported into the U.S. under a systems approach or irradiation for these pests. Grapes may be authorized for importation under the revised requirements after July 19.
Sage from Ethiopia
APHIS is considering a request to allow imports of leaves and stems of fresh sage from Ethiopia into the continental U.S. and has drafted a pest risk assessment that lists the potential pests likely to remain on this commodity upon importation if no mitigation is applied. Comments on this assessment, including information that might lead APHIS to revise its assessment before identifying pest mitigations and proceeding with the commodity import approval process, are due by Sept. 16.
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