On August 8, 2023, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Department (APHIS) of the US Department of Agriculture just sent a letter to the Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) with information about the US opening the market for fresh coconuts. Vietnam.
Previously, on August 7, 2023, APHIS has completed updating the Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements (ACIR) online database to approve the import of fresh coconuts from Vietnam.
To get the above results, APHIS together with Plant Protection Department agreed on a pest risk analysis report for partially shelled coconuts imported from Vietnam to the United States. The two sides have confirmed that there are no harmful organisms subject to plant quarantine accompanying the goods and determined that young fresh melons have had part of their skin removed (at least 3/4 of the outer green skin), with the risk of Spread of harmful organisms is negligible.
Botanically, coconuts are classified as nuts. The coconut consists of the outer shell (also known as the outer shell), the middle shell and the shell of the small coconut inside. The small coconut inside (also known as the coconut seed) has a hard, woody textured shell, surrounding the pulp (endosperm) and liquid (milk or water). Coconut seeds have three large, slightly sunken holes. The outer shell of the fruit is a glossy shell, usually green, yellow-green to yellow-brown.
The US officially opened the market for Vietnam's fresh coconuts
Thus, Vietnamese coconuts imported into the United States can be in the form of completely removed shell and coconut fiber or in the form of young coconuts that have had at least 75% (3/4) of the outer green shell removed. Because APHIS classifies shelled coconuts as commercial coconuts that cannot germinate. The coconut pulp and juice inside can be used as food, so the only phytosanitary requirement is that these shipments must be inspected at US import ports.
The US officially opened the market for Vietnam's fresh coconuts
Detailed requirements for coconut products imported into the United States (ACIR requirements), please update here.
