ARLINGTON, VA -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has apparently come to an agreement with Peru's National Service of Agrarian Health (SENASA) regarding imports of U.S. rough rice.  The USA Rice Federation believes that SENASA has agreed to APHIS's proposal which states that U.S. rough rice shipments must be accompanied by an official phytosanitary certificate containing the following statement: "The rice described herein has been inspected and is considered free from quarantine pests, including quarantine weed seeds identified by Peru."  Additionally, U.S. rough rice must be treated with methyl bromide in specified doses. 

USA Rice has been working with APHIS and SENASA for the past eight years to come to a workable resolution to fully open the Peru market to U.S. rice exports.   In August 2007, USA Rice invited SENASA officials to visit U.S. farms and mills and to meet with USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) in order to complete a pest risk assessment. 

Earlier this spring, USA Rice estimated that the ban could be lifted by the end of this calendar year but events seem to be moving on a quicker timeline. The status of imports of U.S. brown rice remains unclear, and USA Rice will continue efforts in support of removal of unjustified phytosanitary obstacles by Peru. There have been no restrictions on U.S. milled rice, which has entered Peru albeit in small amounts.

The U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA), which was implemented in 2009, allows for 99,000 milled tons (MT) of U.S. rice to enter Peru duty free in 2014.  Since the TPA, annual exports to Peru have been less than 4,000 MT, as phytosanitary barriers have restricted U.S. paddy rice.  In the first three months of 2014, however, U.S. exports have increased over 2,000 percent to 2,190 MT, valued at $1.4 million.  Additional exports are expected, once paddy rice begins to be shipped.

Contact:  Sarah Moran, (703) 236-1457

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