APHIS Updates Import Requirements for Fresh Avocado Fruit (Persea americana var. Hass) from Guatemala into the United States

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2025-15
April 4, 2025

Subject:  APHIS Updates Import Requirements for Fresh Avocado Fruit (Persea americana var. Hass) from Guatemala into the United States

To:  State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is updating requirements for importation of fresh avocado fruit (Persea americana var. Hass) from Guatemala to address the stem weevil Copturus aguacatae. APHIS has determined this quarantine pest may follow the pathway of avocado fruit for consumption and confirmed its presence in Guatemala. To address this pest risk, APHIS is issuing this Federal Order. 

To be eligible to export fruit to the United States, the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Guatemala must adhere to an operational workplan (OWP) jointly developed with APHIS which details the activities and responsibilities the NPPO of Guatemala will carry out to meet the systems approach requirements for fresh avocado fruit (Persea americana var. Hass) to address pests of concern, including Copturus aguacatae. In addition to meeting the requirements listed in our Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements (ACIR) database, the NPPO of Guatemala will establish and maintain pest-free places of production with a pest survey and control program for Copturus aguacatae, in addition to previously listed pests to prevent their accidental introduction into the United States. Detection of Copturus aguacatae or any pest of concern during export inspection or phytosanitary certification in Guatemala will result in regulatory action. This Federal Order updates the list of quarantine pests to include Copturus aguacatae, all of which must be addressed by the systems approach and included in the OWP .

For additional information regarding this Federal Order, please contact Regulatory Policy Specialist Esther Serrano at esther.s.serrano@usda.gov or 954-699-4504.

/s/

Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine
Attachment: Federal Order