USDA approves New Zealand persimmons
Persimmons from New Zealand will be allowed into the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture first proposed allowing fresh persimmons from New Zealand into the U.S. in August 2016, as long as the fruit met certain requirements to control pests. The final rule approving imports was published Oct. 3 and will be effective Nov. 2, according to a news release.
Most U.S. persimmons are grown in California. In 2011, California’s persimmon crop was valued at $13.6 million. Recent data on U.S. persimmon imports, according to the USDA, show a total value of about $4.4 million in 2015.
The USDA said the wholesale value of the persimmon fruit expected from New Zealand will be about $90,000 for the first year.
The value of the imports is forecast to increase to about $330,000, or about 2% of the U.S. persimmon market.