Fruit fly not expected to affect Chile's grape shipments

01/14/2013 12:58:19 PM
Andy Nelson

A fruit fly find near Chile’s Port of Valparaiso is not expected to affect grape shipments from the country to North America.

Eleven fruit flies were discovered in Cerro Yungay, which is near the busy port, in early January.

In a Jan. 11 statement, Ronald Bown, president of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX), said the association and its shippers were in full compliance with U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements for the importation of fresh fruit into the U.S.

ASOEX officials, Bown said, have been in frequent contact with the Chilean Phytosanitary Agency and Port authorities, shipping companies, exporters and growers, industry suppliers and others engaged in providing fresh Chilean fruit to North American markets.

“Among the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association’s highest priorities is to be in full compliance with all of the USDA’s food safety standards, not only at the point of production but throughout the supply chain,” Bown said. “To this effect, fruit loaded at the Port of Valparaiso must use micropunctured bags or protection nets on pallets if the fruit does not arrive at the port in sealed containers from their respective packing stations.”

That protocol will be in place from Jan. 12 through the end of the Chilean fruit season, Bown said.

On Jan. 12, the first vessel complying with the new protocol was loaded with Chilean fruit bound for U.S. markets.

“ASOEX does not foresee any impact on volume entering the North American market,and is anticipating strong, consistent supply throughout the season,” Bown said.

Comments (2) Leave a comment 

We Are Going To Have Problems With This Fruit Fly From Chile. The Chilean
Are Not Telling All The Facts About This Fruit Fly,Just Like All This Rain Issues
We Are Having Now With Table Grapes. The Chileans Stated That No Effect
On There Grapes,But Problems Are Starting To Show. More Lies!


Al Ybarra

What species of fly is it? If it is spotted wing drosophila, the fly would have the ability to infest seemingly sound fruit (developing larvae) and be difficult to detect in the fruit. Micropunctured bags and nets would serve to insure that the flies were shipped along with the fruit, rather than excluding it. this article would have been much more meaningful and relevant if there were some reference to what "fruit fly" was actually found. The potential for risk is dependent upon the actual species.