Taiwan Bans U.S. Apple Shipments

After finding a codling moth larva in a shipment from the United States in mid-December, Taiwan has banned apple shipments from the United States.

The codling moth larva was found Dec. 19 in a shipment of apples from Oregon, according to the Northwest Horticultural Council’s Web site (www.nwhort.org).

The duration of the suspension is not specified, but it is expected to be lengthy. This find represents the third of its kind in U.S. apples sent to Taiwan. On Sept. 3 and Oct. 8 Taiwan’s Bureau of Animal & Plant Health Inspection & Quarantine confirmed the detection of one or more codling moth larvae in shipments of apples from Washington and California respectively. 

According to the Northwest Horticultural Council’s Web site, shipments that have a phytosanitary certificate issued on or before Monday, Dec. 20 and were loaded on the vessel on or before Friday, Dec. 24 remain eligible for shipment to Taiwan.