United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Plant Protection and Quarantine

Risk Management Document

Importation of fresh pods of French Bean, Phaseolus 

vulgaris L. and Runner Bean, Phaseolus coccineus L. 

from Kenya into the United States

August 2, 2010

Plant Health Programs (PHP)

Regulations, Permits and Manuals (RPM)

Contact Person: Philip Grove
This document describes the risk management measures for the “Importation of French 

Bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Runner Bean, Phaseolus coccineus L. from Kenya into 

the United States” (all 50 States plus Territories). The volume of French and runner 

beans to be shipped from Kenya to the United States is estimated at 800 tons which 

corresponds to 29 sea containers per year (USDA, 2009).

United States Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR 319.56) authorizes importation of 

fruits and vegetables from foreign countries into the United States. 

A pest risk assessment (PRA), “Importation of French Bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. and 

Runner Bean, Phaseolus coccineus L. from Kenya into the United States” (all 50 States 

plus Territories), was developed in support of a request by the Republic of Kenya for 

USDA authorization to permit imports of French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L) and 

runner beans, (Phaseolus coccineus L.) into the United States (USDA, 2009). Entry of 

these commodities into the United States presents a risk of introduction of exotic plant 

pests. The PRA found ten quarantine pests that may follow the pathway of commercial 

shipments of French and runner beans. Eight of these pests were rated high risk, and two 

were rated medium risk. These pests are:

High risk pests:

Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Dacus ciliatus Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae)

Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Thaumatotibia leucotreta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Medium risk pests:

Lampides boeticus (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Maruca vitrata Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

According to the USDA guidelines for pathway initiated pest risk assessments (USDA, 

2000), specific phytosanitary measures, supplemental to port-of-arrival inspection, are 

strongly recommended for pests given a ‘High’ pest risk potential and specific 

phytosanitary measures may be necessary for pests given a ‘Medium’ pest risk potential.

The PRA “Importation of French Bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Runner Bean, 

Phaseolus coccineus L. from Kenya into the United States” (all 50 States plus 

Territories), is based on the assumption that the beans exported to the United States 

would undergo specific postharvest processing as described in Appendix B of the PRA.

Kenya proposes to prepare the beans under postharvest processing steps such as washing,

which also contributes to pest risk mitigation, and grading of each individual bean pod, 
which provides an additional opportunity for visual inspection. Specific postharvest 

processing steps, together with additional pest mitigation measures as required by 

APHIS, will ensure that quarantine pests are mitigated. 

Risk Management Measures

APHIS proposes that fresh pods of French beans and runner beans from Kenya may be 

imported into the United States only under the following conditions: 

1. The beans must be packed in packing facilities that are approved and registered 

with Kenya’s national plant protection organization (NPPO).

2. The beans must be washed in potable water, which will assist in removing any 

insects feeding on individual beans.

3. Each bean pod must be either cut into chevrons or pieces that do not exceed 2 

centimeters in length, or shredded or split the length of the bean pod. Split or 

shredded bean pod pieces should not exceed 8 centimeters in length and 8.5 

millimeters in diameter.

4. Each consignment of French bean or runner bean must be accompanied by a 

Phytosanitary Certificate (PC) issued by the NPPO of Kenya attesting that all 

APHIS phytosanitary requirements have been met and that the consignment was 

inspected and found free of quarantine pests. 

5. Each shipping box must be marked with the identity of the packing facility to 

ensure trace back.

6. Beans must be imported as commercial consignments only.

Efficacy of Risk Management Measures:

Seven of the pests cause obvious damage to beans and are easily detectable. Damage 

from Chrysodeixis chalcites, Helicoverpa armigera, Lampides boeticus, Liriomyza 

huidobrensis, Maconellicoccus hirsutus, Maruca vitrata and Spodoptera littoralis are all 

readily apparent. Liriomyza huidobrensis, is a leafminer and the mines are easily seen on 

bean leaves and pods and therefore can be culled during the packing process. 

Maconellicoccus hirsutus is the pink hibiscus mealy bug whose grayish-pink bodies are 

covered with mealy white wax and with white wax filaments projecting from body and 

thus easily seen (CABI, 2006). The other five pests, Chrysodeixis chalcites, Helicoverpa 

armigera, Lampides boeticus, Maruca vitrata and Spodoptera littoralis are relatively 

large and the feeding damage and frass are easily detected so damaged beans can be 

eliminated during the packing house procedures.
Damage from the remaining three pests, Bactrocera cucurbitae, Dacus ciliatus, and

Thaumatotibia leucotreta, is not easily detected in a whole intact bean. However, the 

Kenya processing, as described in the PRA, will include cutting each bean to a 

predetermined size. Therefore, APHIS will require that only consignments of beans 

meeting the following specifications are eligible for entry.

1. Shredded or as chevrons 1-2 cm bits, OR

2. Split, not exceeding 8 cm in length and 8.5 mm in diameter.

Cutting or splitting the beans allows for the detection of larvae of B. cucurbitae, D. 

ciliatus, and T. leucotreta. Beans may also be shredded, as this will both expose and 

destroy any internal feeding insects. Cutting the beans to 8 cm length and exposing the 

interior will reveal the presence of quarantine pests during inspection.

Summary:

The requirement for each consignment to undergo specific mitigation measures

diminishes the likelihood of quarantine pests following the pathway. Shredding or 

splitting each bean pod will further aid in the detection and exposing of internal feeders.

The importation of French and runner beans from Kenya will be restricted to commercial 

shipments only.

The requirements of a phytosanitary certificate from the NPPO of Kenya will document 

that the importation is a product of Kenya. A phytosanitary certificate also provides 

phytosanitary security by requiring the NPPO to conduct inspections for pests.

APHIS has determined that the listed risk management measures, along with the 

requirement of a phytosanitary certificate, and the port of entry inspection, will mitigate 

the risk of pest introduction on French and runner beans from Kenya.

Author:

Devaiah A. Muruvanda, Ph.D. 

Senior Risk Manager-Entomology
References:

CABI. 2006. Crop Protection Compendium, 2006 Edition. CAB International, 

Wallingford, UK.

7 CFR § 319 2008. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 7, Part 319 (7 CFR § 319 Foreign 

Quarantine Notices) Subpart 56 (Fruits and Vegetables). United States Government.

USDA, 2009. Importation of French Bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Phaseolus

coccineus L. from Kenya into the United States. A Pathway-Initiated risk Assessment.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Center for Plant Health Science and 

Technology, Plant Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Laboratory, Raleigh, NC. 62 pp.

USDA. 2000. Guidelines for Pathway-Initiated Pest Risk Assessments, Version 5.02. 

Plant Protection and Quarantine, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United 

States Department of Agriculture.