Peru’s National Agricultural Health Service (Senasa) completed tests to evaluate effect of quarantine cold-storage treatment on Satsumas (Citrus unshiu) in a further step towards gaining access for its citrus to the Japanese market, said the Peruvian Agriculture and Irrigation Ministry (Minagri).
During the tests, fruit was subjected to two different protocols – cold treatment at 2.1° C for 18 days, and treatment at 3.0° C for 23 days – both of which confirmed the total eradication of the Mediterranean fruit fly larvae in Satsuma mandarin, which is not present in Japan.
Peru’s agricultural health service Senasa confirmed that the quarantine treatment is effective in killing Mediterranean fruit fly if fruit.
These trials were carried out by the Plant Quarantine Section of Senasa’s Plant Health Division of the Ministry of Agriculture of Peru.
Senasa will submit the official report containing the results of the test to Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, where it will be analyzed, verified and incorporated into a new proposal that will undergo various stages before Peru can win approval for citrus shipments to the Asian country.
(END) AAC/LVT/RMB
Published: 6/12/2014