Chile hails Japanese decision to lift fruit ban

Chilean authorities welcomed the news that Japan has lifted a ban on importing fruits from three Chilean regions, which had suffered from Mediterranean fruit fly, an official told media on Tuesday.

The Japanese decision would allow Chile to resume fruits export to Japan, from Rancagua (Sixth Region), Los Andes (Fifth Region) and Central Station (Metropolitan Region) where the Agriculture and Stock Raising Service (SAG) has eliminated Mediterranean fruit fly, said Fransisco Bahamonde Medina, the SAG director.

Japan and Chile agreed to end restrictions in February in Tokyo, he added.

Bahamonde also urged Chileans not to bring fruits and vegetables into the country without taking sanitary measures, because if they are infected with plague carriers, they can put national industries at risk.

Source: Xinhua