US lifts ban on avocado, tomato varieties as fruit fly wanes

Santo Domingo.- United States has lifted a ban on Hass avocados and green tomatoes starting Wednesday as the push to eradicate the fruit fly continues.

The ban however is still in effect for Pinkerton, Miguel Bacon, Lula, Russell, Zutano, Choquete among other avocado varieties, which host the pest.

The US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said the tomato isn’t a host for the medfly as long as more than 30% of its surface isn’t pink or red at harvest time.

APHIS will require that Dominican Republic’s Agriculture Ministry certify that tomatoes are harvested green.

As noted by the APHIS statement prior to March 18, the requirements still allows mango imports with pre-authorization issued when treated with hot water.