$12 Million hit to Haitian farmers coming, FDA announces suspension of MANGO imports

By Sherrica Thompson

Staff Writer

#Haiti, October 29, 2022 – Starting January 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture will be suspending the import of mangoes from Haiti.

The announcement was made in a letter addressed to the President of the Association Nationale des Exportateur de Mangues (ANEM), Ralph Perry, dated October 24, and signed by Area Director for Central America and The Caribbean, Jorge Abad.

“As per our phone conversation on October 13, 2022, this letter is to notify ANEM that APHIS will close the mango preclearance program in Haiti by the end of January 2023,” the letter read.

Abad said the action was taken because of the “worsening challenges in Haiti that have made it impossible for our APHIS [Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service] inspectors to safely work.”

He noted that the move was in alignment with information that the organization received from the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince.

The Director said all ten APHIS inspectors in Haiti indefinitely were placed on paid leave starting October 10, 2022, and will remain on leave until the program officially closes.

Abad did note, however, that the agency would consider reinstating the program if the situation in Haiti improves.

According to reports from Haiti’s news entity, Haitilibre, the suspension is “very bad news for the sector” as it represents “more than 12 million dollars in revenue per year, half of which goes to farmers.”

In addition, the news comes just three days after the UN Security Council announced the establishment of a new sanctions regime for Haiti.