Acceptable ways to bring Fruits and Vegetables into the US
Enticed by the cheap prices of fruit, I tried to take some back with me to the US from the Dominican Republic. I declared it. Sure enough I was sent straight to the Agriculture line.
- my two Guanabana were thrown out immediately on sight
- my dozen or so guava into the trash as well
- cinnamon posed no difficulty whatsoever
- sugar cane there was a question of how it was packaged; passed
- packaged supermarket coffee (from outside) no question
For reference my entry point was San Juan, Puerto Rico which receives a few international flights and I was arriving from Dominican Republic.
Specific rules from CBP looked rather complicated but I did find Travelers bringing food into the U.S. for personal use. While raw fruit is obviously out of bounds, there was this passage:
Coffee - roasted or unroasted if there is no pulp attached. (USDA Miscellaneous and Processed Products Manual, Table 3-48)
Spices most dried spices are allowed except for orange, lemon, lime and other citrus leaves and seeds, lemongrass, and many vegetable and fruit seeds
Fruits and Vegetables Travelers may check the general admissibility of fruits and vegetables by consulting APHIS's FAVIR database.... Every fruit or vegetable must be declared to a CBP Agriculture Specialist or CBP Officer and must be presented for inspection - regardless of its admissibility status. Fresh fruits and vegetables need to be clean and may be prohibited if they have insects or diseases.
Doesn't my fruit get inspected then? Why was my fruit just thrown out?
Maybe because I do not have a permit? My guess is individuals can't get permits unless they are like grocery store owners or something. My supermarket routinely has avocado from the Dominican Republic. However... this is personal use not resale
My hope was that since I was traveling between two Caribbean countries, there would be no problem exchanging fruit. Since the islands were so similar. Additionally, there is USDA inspection for travel outside of Puerto Rico. So I don't see what the issue is.
Lastly
Canned goods and goods in vacuum packed jars (other than those containing meat or poultry products) for your personal use
Is vacuum packing it myself OK?
Sorry for this lengthy discussion. I just found it very interesting could by a large size guanabana for $10 in Puerto Rico and for $1 in Dominican Republic. These seem to be unavailable in the United States.
REMARK Fresh fruit seems to require a permit and follow the special packing procedures. What about canning or vacuum packing for personal use?
Best Answer
You fruit WAS inspected. You showed it to the customs officials, they inspected it, determined what it was, determined that it was not allowed without a permit (as per https://epermits.aphis.usda.gov/) and thus confiscated/destroyed it.
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Can you bring fruits and vegetables into the US?
Travelers may bring commercially canned fruits and vegetables (not containing any meat products) into the United States. All such products must be declared and presented at entry, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists will make the final determination as to what products may enter.Can I bring vegetables into the US?
Travelers may bring commercially canned fruits and vegetables into the United States as long as you declare them on your U.S. Customs form. Home-canned products are not allowed entry because canning practices can vary and may not remove all pest and disease risks.Can you bring fruits into the US?
All travelers entering the United States are REQUIRED to DECLARE meats, fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds, soil, animals, as well as plant and animal products (including soup or soup products) they may be carrying. The declaration must cover all items carried in checked baggage, carry-on luggage, or in a vehicle.Can you bring fruit across the border?
Here is a general list of the more common items that you are restricted from bringing into the U.S.: As a general rule, prepared foods for personal consumption or for family/friend gatherings are allowed. However, all fruits, vegetables, plants and plant material of any type must be declared and inspected.How Illegal Items Are Found And Destroyed At JFK Airport
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Answer 2
Concerning fruits and vegetables: here's the USDA's page on how to get a permit. The form itself is here (PDF), and doesn't even seem to require a fee. The usual processing time is 30 days.
However, a permit probably wouldn't have helped you. The USDA's Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Manual (PDF, 500+ pages) lists which fruits and vegetables can be imported from which countries. It appears that guanabana/soursop can only be imported from Grenada (and then only as a commercial shipment); and guava fruits can only be imported from Bermuda and Mexico (and only as commercial shipments from the latter.) Anything that is not explicitly listed in the manual appears to be barred completely.
If it's any consolation, the permit would have let you import durian, mangosteen, and pineapple, among other things. Whether you want to have a durian in your luggage is another story.
Answer 3
My experience is all over the place.
At airports, many times I have mentioned "apples and bananas" and passed without further questions.
At land crossings: I remember the border in Montana, where oranges were allowed, but not their peels. The lady explicitly say she had to destroy them; my kids have been laughing at that for years. Coming from the South, we have had a (single) mango confiscated. One time they took all our fruit. Another one, the lady said "you guys will surely eat all this on your way to Canada, won't you? " and she let us keep it all.
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