TOKYO, Nov. 11 – The United States has lifted an import ban on Japan-grown fresh melon fruit, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced on Nov. 10.
Melons can be shipped to the U.S. after meeting certain requirements, including obtaining a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Plant Protection Station stating they are free of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus that causes crop diseases.
The ministry estimates that Japan will make shipments worth about 3 million yen to the U.S. in a year following the lifting of the ban.
The U.S. government had been prohibiting imports of fresh melon fruit from Japan to prevent pest intrusion. As there had been requests from Shizuoka Prefecture, a major melon growing region, to allow exports of the product to the U.S., the ministry started negotiations with the U.S. government in May 2016.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service authorized the imports on Nov. 8 under certain conditions.
Each consignment must be inspected and accompanied by the certificate and is subject to inspection upon arrival in the U.S. as well.
According to the ministry, Japan’s exports of melons totaled 941 tons, equivalent to 811.74 million yen, in 2020. Ninety percent of the shipments were made to Hong Kong.