***Risk Analysis: Fresh Table Grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) from Namibia***

The pest risk assessment document, *Qualitative Pathway- Initiated Risk
Assessment of the Importation of Fresh Table Grapes (Vitis vinifera L.)
from Namibia into the United States of America,* dated September 2005
finds that **30** quarantine pests can reasonably be expected to follow
the pathway of commercial shipments of fresh table grapes. Ten pests
were rated as medium risk. Twenty pests were rated as high risk. The
APHIS, Plant Protection and Quarantine Commodity Pest Risk Assessment
(PRA) Guidelines state that for pests rated high, specific phytosanitary
measures are strongly recommended and port-of-entry inspection is not
considered sufficient to provide phytosanitary security. For pests rated
medium, specific phytosanitary measures may be necessary. APHIS has
determined that measures beyond a standard port-of-entry inspection are
required to mitigate the plant pest risk all thirty of these pests:

-   *Aleurocanthus spiniferus*

-   *Apate monachus*

-   *Bustomus setulosus*

-   *Ceroplastes rusci*

-   *Ceratitis capitata*

-   *Ceratitis rosa*

-   *Cryptophlebia leucotreta*

-   *Cryptoblabes gnidiella*

-   *Dischista cincta*

-   *Empoasca lybica*

-   *Epichoristodes acerbella*

-   *Eremnus atratus*

-   *Eremnus cerealis*

-   *Eremnus setulosus*

-   *Eutetranychus orientalis*

-   *Helicoverpa armigera*

-   *Icerya seychellarum*

-   *Macchiademus diplopterus*

-   *Maconellicoccus hersutus*

-   *Nipaecoccus vastator*

-   *Oxcarenus hyalinipennis*

-   *Pachnoda sinuata*

-   *Phlyctinus callosus*

-   *Rastrococcus iceryoides*

-   *Scirtothrips aurantii*

-   *Scirtothrips dorsalis*

-   *Spodoptera littoralis*

-   *Tanyrhynchus carinatus*

-   *Cochlicella ventricosa*

-   *Theba pisana*

We are proposing the following set of mitigation measures:

-   Mandatory methyl bromide fumigation using the treatment schedule
    T104-a-1.

> *Aleurocanthus spiniferus, Apate monachus, Bustomus setulosus,
> Ceroplastes rusci, Cryptoblabes gnidiella, Dischista cincta, Empoasca
> lybica, Eremnus atratus, Ermnus cerealis, Ermnus setulosus,
> Eutetranychus orientalis, Helicoverpa armigera, Icerya seychellarum,
> Macchiademus diplopterus,Oxcarenus hyalinipennis, Pachnoda sinuata,
> Phlyctinus callosus, Scirtothrips aurantii, Scirtothrips dorsalis,
> Spodoptera littoralis,* and *Tanyrhynchus carinatus* can be mitigated
> by Methyl Bromide fumigation using the treatment schedule T104-a-1.

-   Methyl bromide, schedule T104-a-1, does not effectively mitigate the
    mealybugs, *Maconellicoccus hirsutus, Nipaecoccus vastator,
    Rastrococcus iceryoides,* and the mollusks, *Cochlicella ventricosa*
    and *Theba pisana*; therefore, we are requiring the following
    additional declaration on the phytosanitary certificate which will
    state:

> "The grapes in this shipment have been inspected and are free of
> *Maconellicoccus hirsutus, Nipaecoccus vastator, Rastrococcus
> iceryoides, Cochlicella ventricosa* and *Theba pisana."*
>
> The requirement for an Additional Declaration provides phytosanitary
> security by requiring Namibia officials to conduct phytosanitary
> inspections for these three mealybugs and two mollusks. This
> effectively doubles the inspections the fruit receives. Furthermore,
> specifically listing the pests on the Additional Declaration alerts
> U.S. inspectors to the specific pests of concern.

-   Mandatory cold treatment

> *Cryptophlebia leucotreta, Ceratitis capitata, Ceratitis rosa,* and
> *Epichoristodes acerbella* are all internal feeders. APHIS's approved
> schedule for cold treatment for false codling moth, *Cryptophlebia
> leucotreta*, is T107-e, which is 31^o^ F (-0.55^o\ C^) or below for 22
> days. The 22-day treatment period will begin only after all
> temperature sensors indicate the grapes have been precooled to 31^o^ F
> or below. If the temperature exceeds 31.5^o^ F, the treatment period
> shall be extended by one-third of a day for each day or part of a day
> that the temperature is above 31^o^ F. If the temperature exceeds
> 34^o^ F at any time, the treatment is nullified. This quarantine
> treatment also effectively mitigates the risk associated with fruit
> flies and *Epichoristodes acerbella*.

APHIS believes that the requirement for a phytosanitary certificate with
an additional declaration for freedom from *Maconellicoccus hirsutus,
Nipaecoccus vastator, Rastrococcus iceryoides, Cochlicella ventricosa*
and *Theba pisana* based on phytosanitary inspections, in addition to
mandatory methyl bromide and cold treatments, port of entry inspection
and restricting exports to commercial shipments provides an appropriate
level of phytosanitary protection and will effectively remove these
pests from the pathway.

*References:*

USDA APHIS Pest Risk Assessment: Quality Pathway-Initiated Risk
Assessment of the Importation of Fresh Table Grapes *Vitis vinifera* L.
from Namibia into the United States, September, 2005.

USDA APHIS Plant, Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual,
<http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/manuals/pdf_files/Treatment_Chapters.htm>;
last accessed October 14, 2005.