Phytosanitary irradiation in ports of entry: a practical solution for developing countries

Summary The advantages of using ionising irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment have been demonstrated commercially in the past two decades and several countries currently use the technology for commercial treatments to meet plant quarantine requirements. Although many countries have expressed interest in using phytosanitary irradiation (PI) and it provides a viable alternative for overcoming a wide range of phytosanitary restrictions for numerous fresh products, the use of PI for fresh fruits and vegetables faces economic obstacles due to the sizeable initial investment required to build an irradiation facility. Projecting the market demand for irradiated products to justify the investment in treatment facilities is a business challenge limited by the potential for all countries to invest in this technology, especially developing countries. A recent change in import regulations by the United States allows for treatment upon entry, thus removing the immediate need for treatment facilities in the exporting country. This change makes it possible for exporting countries to explore and develop new markets prior to investing in treatment facilities at the origin. This paper discusses the economic potential of products that could be shipped to the United States for irradiation from selected countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa.