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**United States Department of Agriculture**

**Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service**

**Plant Protection and Quarantine**

**Commodity Import Evaluation Document** (CIED)

**Expansion of Pest Free Areas for the Importation of Melon from
Brazil.**

**Country of Origin**: Brazil **Date of Request**: April 3, 2002

**Commodity:** Melons

***Scientific name*:** 1. *Cucumis melo* **Common name(s)**: 1.
Cantaloupe

2\. *Cucumis melo* 2. Honeydew Melon

3\. *Citrullus lanatus* 3. Watermelon

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***Pest Findings/interceptions***

Currently, Brazil is exporting melons to the United States from the
municipalities of Mossoro and Açu e Areia Branca in the State of Rio
Grande do Norte, which have been recognized by APHIS as being free from
the South American cucurbit fruit fly (*Anastrepha grandis*) since 1991.
Before 1991, Brazil shipped melons to the United States under a
preclearance program starting in 1987. No interceptions of the South
American cucurbit fruit fly have been made in any shipments of melons
from this area in Brazil to the United States (AQAS, 2007). In 2002,
Brazil requested recognition of adjacent municipalities in the States of
Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará as free from *Anastrepha grandis*.

Currently, cantaloupe (*Cucumis melo*), honeydew melon (*Cucumis melo*)
and watermelon (*Citrullus lanatus*) that are grown in Brazil in an area
declared as free from the South American cucurbit fly are authorized for
importation into the United States in accordance with the regulations in
"Subpart---Fruits and Vegetables (7 CFR 319.56 through 319.56-47) under
the conditions specified in the Number range CHAPTERFresh Fruits and
Vegetables Import Manual (APHIS-PPQ, 2008). This area is not known to
have ever been infested with *Anastrepha grandis* (Malavasi and Zucchi,
2000). In accordance with the requirements for APHIS recognition of pest
free areas, 7 CFR 319.56-5, APHIS approved the survey protocols used by
Brazil for collecting trapping data for the proposed *A. grandis* free
area. The Ministry of Agriculture, Brazil, has submitted detailed
information with maps of the survey protocol followed. The surveillance
data submitted are consistent with the standards required as per ISPM 4
(IPPC, 1996), ISPM 29 (IPPC, 2007) and RSPM 17 (NAPPO, 2004).

As per the documentation provided by Brazil, the nearest area infested
with *A. grandis* is 2,300 kms away. The monitoring for *A. grandis*
started in 1985 in the State of Rio Grande do Norte and 2000 in the
State of Ceará. Random fruit cutting also was initiated at Natal Port,
which is outside the proposed South American cucurbit fly free area.
This fruit cutting was done in 2000 and 2001 and a total of 9,428 melon
fruits and 976 watermelons were sampled. No specimen of *A. grandis* was
ever detected either by trapping or fruit cutting. The documentation
provided also revealed a well managed, technically competent program in
place for monitoring *A. grandis* between the growers and State
departments of agriculture. An official exclusion program exists to
prevent the entry of *A. grandis* hosts into the production areas. There
is also an emergency response plan in place, in the event of any *A.
grandis* outbreaks.

A site visit was conducted by APHIS in December 2004 to evaluate road
station operations, fruit fly monitoring operations in both the proposed
free areas and in the currently recognized free areas, and to evaluate
their preparations for implementing emergency measures if an *Anastrepha
grandis* outbreak should occur. The following information was gathered
during the site visit:

• Road stations are operated in conjunction with the Federal Highway
Police and are adequate to prevent the movement of unauthorized
*Anastrepha grandis* host materials into *Anastrepha grandis* free
areas. These regulatory measures are in compliance with the requirements
listed in ISPM No. 4 (IPPC, 1996) and ISPM No. 29 (IPPC, 2007).

• The proposed free areas are located adjacent to and contiguous with
the existing *Anastrepha grandis* free areas in the State of Rio Grande
do Norte. These areas are the only significant melon growing areas in
Brazil.

• The State departments of agriculture and the growers jointly run the
*Anastrepha grandis* programs in the States of Ceará and Rio Grande do
Norte.

• Data from the trapping program clearly demonstrate that *Anastrepha
grandis* is not present in the proposed pest free areas. Trapping
densities are in accordance with IPPC guidelines (ISPM 26).

• McPhail trap catches are collected weekly and examined by an
experienced fruit fly taxonomist.

The areas proposed for the expansion in the States of Ceará and Rio
Grande do Norte, and the current *Anastrepha grandis* pest free areas in
Rio Grande do Norte meet all APHIS requirements for recognition of a
pest free area.

APHIS currently requires the following measures for the importation of
melons from Brazil to ensure phytosanitary security.

-   The importation of melons from Brazil must include a phytosanitary
    certificate issued by the NPPO of Brazil bearing an additional
    declaration that the fruits originate from a pest-free area that
    meets the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of 7 CFR 319.56-5.
    This statement is based on negative findings from the trapping
    program conducted in export regions. The requirement for an
    additional declaration provides phytosanitary security by requiring
    Brazilian officials to conduct phytosanitary inspections for this
    pest both in the field during the growing season and at the
    packinghouse prior to export. These inspections double the number of
    inspections the melons receive by requiring phytosanitary
    inspections in addition to the normal packinghouse quality
    inspections. Furthermore, specifically listing the pest on the
    Additional Declaration alerts U.S. inspectors to the specific pests
    of concern.

-   The melons must be packed in a pest-proof container while in transit
    to the United States. (7 CFR 319.56-5(e)(3).

-   All shipment of melons must be labeled with:

1.  The name of the orchard or grove of origin, or the name of the
    grower, and

2.  The name of the municipality and state in which it was produced, and

3.  The type and amount of fruit it contains (7 CFR 319.56-5(e)(1))

Based on its review of the survey data, other information and the
findings of the December 2004 site visit, APHIS has concluded that
certain additional municipalities in Brazil can be recognized as free of
the South American cucurbit fruit fly, *Anastrepha grandis*. Further,
based on the findings of the site visit and the mitigation measures
currently in place, we propose to include the following additional areas
in Brazil as pest free areas meeting the requirements of 7 CFR 319.56-5:
Municipalities of Aracati, Icapuí, Itaiçaba, Jaguaruana, Limoeiro do
Norte, Quixerê, and Russas in the State of Ceará, and the municipalities
of Açu, Afonso Bezerra, Alto do Rodrigues, Areia Branca, Baraúna,
Camaubais, Grossos, Ipanguaçu, Mossoró, Porto do Mangue, Serra do
Mel,Tibau, Upanema in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. This change will
allow the importation of cantaloupe, honeydew melons, and watermelon
from these additional fruit fly pest free areas in Brazil.

**References:**

Agriculture Quarantine Activity Systems, USDA APHIS, **(**Database
accessed 9-6-2007)

APHIS-PPQ, 2008. Number range CHAPTERFresh Fruits and Vegetables Import
Manual (available at Number range
CHAPTERhttp://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/fv.pdf).

Code of Federal Regulations, Title 7, §§ 319.56 through 319.56-47,
Subpart---Fruits and Vegetables.

IPPC. 1996. ISPM 4. Requirements for the establishment of Pest free
areas. FAO, Rome. 16pp.

IPPC. 2006. ISPM 26. Establishment of Pest Free Areas for Fruit Flies
(Tephritidae). FAO, Rome. 15pp.

IPPC. 2007. ISPM 29. Recognition of Pest free areas and areas of low
pest prevalence. FAO, Rome. 12pp.

Malavasi, A. & R. A. Zucchi, eds. 2000. Moscas-das-frutas de importância
econômica no Brasil. Conhecimento básico e aplicado. Holos, Riberão
Preto. 327 pp**.**

NAPPO, 2004. RSPM 17. Guidelines for the establishment, maintenance and
verification of fruit fly pest free areas in North America. Ottawa,
Canada. 13pp.

USDA APHIS Site Visit Report to Proposed Melon Expansion Areas in
Brazil, 2004