Federal Regulations Favor Thai Fruit Importers Over Hawaii Growers

Press Release

Congressman Neil Abercrombie is pressing U.S. Agriculture Secretary to speed implementation of a new federal regulation that would help Hawaii's tropical fruit growers—many on the Big Island—to compete fairly with foreign growers.

Abercrombie's request follows implementation of a new federal rule on July 23rd that allows Thai growers to ship irradiated tropical fruits to the U.S. mainland and Hawaii, while Hawaii growers are prevented from shipping their crops to the Mainland.

"I am perplexed that the USDA would allow fruits from another country to be sold in the United States before fruit grown in Hawaii," said Abercrombie in a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.

"I urge you to expedite the regulatory process so Hawaii's farmers can compete with foreign growers in American markets," said Abercrombie's letter.

The Hawaii tropical fruit industry is growing rapidly, especially on the Big Island. Its membership includes small and commercial growers, nursery stock growers of tropical fruit trees, packers and wholesalers, and manufacturers of tropical fruit specialty products.

The federal rule will allow fruits such as mangoes, mangosteens, pineapples, rambutans, litchis and longans to be shipped from Thailand to the Mainland, as long as they are irradiated to rid them of any pests.

Abercrombie said he is dismayed over the fact that the USDA is allowing certain irradiated Thai fruits into the United States. "At the same time," he noted, "while Hawaii growers have been waiting for clearance to export fruit to Mainland markets for six months.

"Last August, I was able to put Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers (association) in direct contact with the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service by video conference so they could address their concerns about the fruit regulations. While the USDA suggested it could not address the economic issues the growers raised, there were certainly pest and disease issues that merited attention. "Perhaps the USDA believes those pest and disease questions have been fairly resolved with the Thai government. Whey then is it taking so long to reach the same agreement with Hawaii's Tropical Fruit Growers?"

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