Chilean Blueberries to be Received in Ports Across the U.S.
Fresh Chilean blueberries will be flowing into U.S. ports. Starting January 9, 2014 at 9:00 AM, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will now allow imported fresh Chilean blueberries to be received at five ports across the U.S. This update is following new obligatory entry requirements for imported blueberries from Chile into the U.S., according to an Advance Customs press release.
The following ports can now receive blueberries that have arrived from Chile:
· Miami, FL
· New Jersey (Port Elizabeth)
· Delaware
· Philadelphia
· Long Beach, CA
As fresh blueberries come into these ports, inspectors will be required to fumigate the berries with Methyl Bromide. The exposure time is three hours and they can be fumigated together with grapes.
Blueberries from unaffected regions may be subject to inspections.
