Vietnam has decided to suspend imports of fruits from Australia for concerns over fruit fly, according to the Department of Plant Protection under Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Wednesday.
Nguyen Xuan Hong, director of the department, said imports of all 38 kinds of Australian fruits will be suspended from Jan. 1, 2015 to prevent fruit fly infestation as Australia is facing outbreaks of fruit fly which attack and damage fruits and vegetables.
Vietnam has sent an announcement to the Australian side in accordance with international regulations, said Hong.
He said quarantine work will be strengthened for fruit shipments on the way to Vietnam.
The imports will be resumed when no fruit fly outbreak is reported in Australia and if the country’s fruits meet quarantine requirements of Vietnam, reported the website of the Vietnamese government on Wednesday.
According to statistics by the Department of Plant Protection, in the first 10 months of 2014, Vietnam imported some 2,000 tons of fruits from Australia, mainly apples, pears, grapes and cherries.
Source: Shang Daily