**United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service**  **Plant Protection and Quarantine**



## Interstate Movement **of Fresh Fruit of Achachairú ( Garcinia**  **gardneriana ) into the Continental United States** 

**from Puerto Rico**

**R isk Management Document** 

**Novem ber**  **26 , 20**  **1 3** 

**Plant Health Programs (PHP) R**  **egulations, Permits and Manuals (**  **R P**  **M )**  **Contact Person: Dave Lam**  **b Introduction** 

In response to a request from a grower of Garcinia gardneriana in Puerto Rico to move fresh fruit of Garcinia gardneriana interstate from Puerto Rico to the continental United States , the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHI S) prepared a pest risk assessment (PRA ) (USDA, 2012) . The P RA document , ‘ Im portation of Fresh Fruit of Achachairú ( Garcinia gardneriana ) into the Continental United States from Puerto Rico ’ identified one insect pest that may follow the commodity

pathway of fresh A chachairú fruit from Puerto Rico (USDA, 2013) . Th e r ed wax scale, Ceroplastes rubens Maskell ( Hemiptera: Coccidae ) was determined in PRA as potentially able to follow the pathway of Garcinia gard

neriana fruit from Puerto Rico. The PRA concluded that Ceroplastes rubens has **Medium** Pest Risk Potential. **Risk Management Measures** The following risk management measures must be followed for Garcinia gardneriana from Puerto Rico to be moved interstate into the continental United States:

 Garcinia gardneriana fruit must be transported interstate as commercial consignment s only .  Each consignment of Garcinia gardneriana fruit must be inspected in pre - departure clearance for pests by

APHI S - PPQ prior to shipment from Puerto Rico to the continental United States. **Conclusion** APHI S believes that the phy tosanitary measures proposed in this document will result in the effective removal of any potential quarantine pests associated with the i nterstate movement of fresh Garcinia gardneriana from Puerto Rico into the continental United States . The PRA identified only one pest of Garcinia gardneriana that was likely to follow the pathway

and therefore be candidates for risk management (USDA, 2013). Commercially produced fruit are grown and packed to meet quality levels that allow them to be marketed for sale. Commer cial ly produced fruit are less likely than other fruit to have pests or other phy tosanitary issues. In terceptions of pests in commercial fruit versus passenger baggage indicate that non commercially

produced fruit has a much higher risk of carrying pests (AQAS, 201 3 ). In spection is considered effective at finding external feeding pests or accidental hitchhikers and excluding infested shipments from entering commerce ( Cavey , 2003 ; Wittenberg and Cock, 2001 ). Garcinia gardneriana will undergo inspection by APHI S PPQ in pre - departure clearance which will allow rejection of any consignments which may be infested by Ceroplastes rubens or other quarantine pests .3

**References:** AQAS. 201 3 . Agricultural Quarantine Activity Sy stem Pest I nterception Database. US DA APHI S - PPQ. Last accessed Sept . 201 3 . Cavey , J.F. 2003. Mitigating introduction of invasive plant pests: the APHI S - PPQ Mission. From: Chapter 13, pp. 350 - 361 in Ruiz, G.M and J.T. Carlton. 2003. I nvasive species: vectors and management strategies. Is land Press, Washington, D.C. 518 p p . USDA . 2012. Guidelines for Plant Pest Risk Assessment of I mported Fruit and Vegetable Commodities (First Edition). United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health In spection Service, Plant Protec tion and Quarantine, Raleigh, NC.

. USDA. 20 13 . Im portation of Fresh Fruit of Achachairú ( Garcinia gardneriana ) into the Continental United States from Puerto Rico . A Qualitative, Pathway - In itiated Pest Risk Assessment. November 21, 2013. Version 2. USDA, APHI S, CPHST, PERAL , Raleigh, NC. 12 pp. Wittenberg, R. and M.J.W. Cock. 2001. In vasive Alien Species: A toolkit of best prevention and management practices. CABI publishing, CAB I nternational, Wallingford, Oxon, UK. 228 pp. **Author** Walter P. Gould Senior Risk Manager