The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is publishing a final rule allowing the importation of fresh persimmon with calyxes (a plant part protecting the flower) from Japan. 

APHIS scientists prepared a pest risk analysis and determined that commercial shipments of persimmons with calyxes produced under a systems approach can safely be imported into the continental United States. 

The systems approach includes requirements for packing house registration, orchard monitoring and control of pests, fruit culling, biometric sampling, a phytosanitary certificate with additional declaration, port of entry inspection and traceback. These measures will help protect the country against the introduction of plant pests. 

"This action satisfies our commitment under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) to allow the importation of plants and plant products subject to the least restrictive measures consistent with ensuring phytosanitary security," APHIS told in a release.

The final ruling will become effective on October 12, 2017.