[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 8]
[Revised as of January 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR944.31]

[Page 325-327]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
  CHAPTER IX--AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and 
      Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 944_FRUITS; IMPORT REGULATIONS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 944.31  Avocado import maturity regulation.

    (a) Pursuant to section 8e [7 U.S.C. 608e-1] of the Agricultural 
Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as amended [7 U.S.C 601-674], and Part 
944--Fruits; Import Regulations, the importation into the United States 
of any avocados, except the Hass, Fuerte, Zutano, and Edranol varieties, 
is prohibited unless:
    (1) Any portion of the skin of the individual avocados has changed 
to the color normal for that fruit when mature for those varieties which 
normally change color to any shade of red or purple when mature, except 
for the Linda variety; or
    (2) Such avocados meet the minimum weight or diameter requirements 
for the Monday nearest each date specified, through the Sunday 
immediately prior to the nearest Monday of the specified date in the 
next column, for each variety listed in the following table I: Provided, 
that avocados may not be handled prior to the earliest date specified in 
column A of such table for the respective variety; Provided further, 
There are no restrictions on size or weight on or after the date 
specified in column D; Provided further, That up to a total of 10 
percent, by count to the individual fruit in each lot may weigh less 
than the minimum specified or be less than the specified diameter, 
except that no such avocados shall be over 2 ounces lighter than the 
minimum weight specified for the variety: Provided further, That up to 
double such tolerance shall be permitted for fruit in an individual 
container in a lot.

                                                                         Table 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Min.      Min.                 Min.      Min.                 Min.      Min.
                     Variety                        A date     wt.      diam.      B date     wt.      diam.      C date     wt.      diam.      D date
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Dupuis 2...........................       5-30       16   3 \7/16\       6-13       14   3 \5/16\       7-04       12   3 \2/16\       7-18
Simmons.........................................       6-20       16   3 \9/16\       7-04       14   3 \7/16\       7-18       12   3 \1/16\       8-01
Pollock.........................................       6-20       18  3 \11/16\       7-04       16   3 \7/16\       7-18       14   3 \4/16\       8-01
Hardee..........................................       6-27       16   3 \2/16\       7-04       14  2 \14/16\       7-11       12  .........       7-25
Nadir...........................................       6-27       14   3 \3/16\       7-04       12   3 \1/16\       7-11       10  2 \14/16\       7-18
Ruehle..........................................       7-04       18  3 \11/16\       7-11       16   3 \9/16\       8-01       12   3 \5/16\       8-15
                                                                                      7-18       14   3 \7/16\       8-08       10   3 \3/16\
Bernecker.......................................       7-18       18   3 \6/16\       8-01       16   3 \5/16\       8-15       14   3 \4/16\       8-29
Miguel (P)......................................       7-18       22  3 \13/16\       8-01       20  3 \12/16\       8-15       18  3 \10/16\       8-29
Nesbitt.........................................       7-18       22  3 \12/16\       8-01       16   3 \5/16\       8-08       14   3 \3/16\       8-22
Tonnage.........................................       8-01       16   3 \6/16\       8-15       14   3 \4/16\       8-22       12   3 \0/16\       8-29
Waldin..........................................       8-01       16   3 \9/16\       8-15       14   3 \7/16\       8-29       12   3 \4/16\       9-12
Tower II........................................       8-01       14    3\6/16\       8-15       12    3\4/16\       8-29       10    3\2/16\       9-05
Beta............................................       8-08       18    3\8/16\       8-15       16    3\5/16\       8-29       14    3\3/16\       9-05
Lisa (P)........................................       8-08       12   3 \2/16\       8-15       11   3 \0/16\  .........  .......  .........       8-22
Black Prince....................................       8-15       28   4 \1/16\       8-29       23  3 \14/16\       9-12       16   3 \9/16\      10-03
Loretta.........................................       8-22       30    4\3/16\       9-05       26   3\15/16\       9-19       22   3\12/16\       9-26
Booth 8.........................................       8-29       16   3 \9/16\       9-12       14   3 \6/16\       9-26       12   3 \3/16\      10-24
                                                                                                                    10-10       10   3 \1/16\
Booth 7.........................................       8-29       18  3 \13/16\       9-12       16  3 \10/16\       9-26       14   3 \8/16\      10-10
Booth 5.........................................       9-05       14   3 \9/16\       9-19       12   3 \6/16\  .........  .......  .........      10-03
Choquette.......................................       9-26       28   4 \4/16\      10-17       24   4 \1/16\      10-31       20  3 \14/16\      11-14
Hall............................................       9-26       26  3 \14/16\      10-10       20   3 \9/16\      10-24       18   3 \8/16\      11-07
Lula............................................      10-03       18  3 \11/16\      10-10       14   3 \6/16\      10-31       12   3 \3/16\      11-14
Monroe..........................................      11-07       26   4 \3/16\      11-21       24   4 \1/16\      12-05       20  3 \14/16\       1-02
                                                                                                                    12-19       16   3 \9/16\
Arue............................................       5-16       16  .........       5-30       14    3\3/16\       6-20       12  .........       7-04
Donnie                                                 5-23       16    3\5/16\       6-06       14    3\4/16\       6-20       12  .........       7-04
Fuchs...........................................       6-06       14   3 \3/16\       6-20       12   3 \0/16\  .........  .......  .........       7-04

[[Page 326]]


K-5.............................................       6-13       18   3 \5/16\       6-27       14   3 \3/16\  .........  .......  .........       7-11
West Indian Seedling \1\........................       6-20       18  .........       7-18       16  .........       8-22       14  .........       9-19
Gorham..........................................       7-04       29   4 \5/16\       7-18       27   4 \3/16\  .........  .......  .........       8-15
Biondo..........................................       7-11       13  .........  .........  .......  .........  .........  .......  .........       8-15
Petersen........................................       7-11       14   3 \8/16\       7-18       12   3 \5/16\       7-25       10   3 \2/16\       8-08
232.............................................       7-18       14  .........       8-01       12  .........  .........  .......  .........       8-15
Pinelli.........................................       7-18       18  3 \12/16\       8-01       16  3 \10/16\  .........  .......  .........       8-15
Trapp...........................................       7-18       14  3 \10/16\       8-01       12   3 \7/16\  .........  .......  .........       8-15
K-9.............................................       8-01       16  .........  .........  .......  .........  .........  .......  .........       8-22
Christina.......................................       8-01       11  2 \14/16\  .........  .......  .........  .........  .......  .........       8-22
Catalina........................................       8-15       24  .........       8-29       22  .........  .........  .......  .........       9-19
Blair...........................................       8-29       16   3 \8/16\       9-12       14   3 \5/16\  .........  .......  .........      10-03
Guatemalan Seedling \2\.........................       9-05       15  .........      10-03       13  .........  .........  .......  .........      12-05
Marcus..........................................       9-05       32  4 \12/16\       9-19       24   4 \5/16\  .........  .......  .........      10-31
Brooks 1978.....................................       9-05       12   3 \4/16\       9-12       10   3 \1/16\       9-19        8  2 \14/16\      10-10
Rue.............................................       9-12       30   4 \3/16\       9-19       24  3 \15/16\      10-03       18   3 \9/16\      10-17
Collinson.......................................       9-12       16  3 \10/16\  .........  .......  .........  .........  .......  .........      10-10
Hickson.........................................       9-12       12   3 \1/16\       9-26       10   3 \0/16\  .........  .......  .........      10-10
Simpson.........................................       9-19       16   3 \9/16\  .........  .......  .........  .........  .......  .........      10-10
Chica...........................................       9-19       12   3 \7/16\      10-03       10   3 \4/16\  .........  .......  .........      10-17
Leona...........................................       9-26       18   3\10/16\      10-03       16  .........  .........  .......  .........      10-10
Melendez........................................       9-26       26   3\14/16\      10-10       22   3\11/16\      10-24       18    3\7/16\      11-07
Herman..........................................      10-03       16   3 \9/16\      10-17       14   3 \6/16\  .........  .......  .........      10-31
Pinkerton (CP)..................................      10-03       13   3 \3/16\      10-17       11   3 \0/16\      10-31        9  .........      11-14
Taylor..........................................      10-10       14   3 \5/16\      10-24       12   3 \2/16\  .........  .......  .........      11-07
Ajax (B-7)......................................      10-10       18  3 \14/16\  .........  .......  .........  .........  .......  .........      10-31
Booth 3.........................................      10-10       16   3 \8/16\      10-17       14   3 \6/16\  .........  .......  .........      10-31
Semil 34........................................      10-17       18   3\10/16\      10-31       16    3\8/16\      11-14       14    3\5/16\      11-28
Semil 43........................................      10-24       18   3\10/16\       11-7       16    3\8/16\      11-21       14    3\5/16\      12-05
Booth 1.........................................      11-14       16  3 \12/16\      11-28       12   3 \6/16\  .........  .......  .........      12-12
Zio (P).........................................      11-14       12   3 \1/16\      11-28       10  2 \14/16\  .........  .......  .........      12-12
Gossman.........................................      11-28       11   3 \1/16\  .........  .......  .........  .........  .......  .........      12-26
Brookslate......................................      12-05       18  3 \13/16\      12-12       16  3 \10/16\       1-02       12   3 \5/16\       1-30
                                                                                     12-19       14   3 \8/16\       1-16       10
Meya (P)........................................      12-12       13   3 \2/16\      12-26       11   3 \0/16\                                      1-09
Reed (CP).......................................      12-12       12   3 \4/16\      12-26       10   3 \3/16\       1-09        9   3 \0/16\       1-23
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Avocados of the West Indian type varieties and seedlings not listed elsewhere in table 1.
\2\ Avocados of the Guatemalan type varieties and seedlings, hybrid varieties and seedlings, and unidentified seedlings not listed elsewhere in table I.

    (b) The term diameter means the greatest dimension measured at a 
right angle to a straight line from the stem to the blossom end of the 
fruit.
    (c) The term importation means release from custody of the United 
States Customs Service. The term commercial processing into products 
means the manufacture of avocado product which is preserved by any 
recognized commercial process, including canning, freezing, dehydrating, 
drying, the addition of chemical substances, or by fermentation.
    (d) Any person may import up to 55 pounds of avocados exempt from 
the requirements specified in this section.
    (e) The Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service, Fruit and 
Vegetable Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, United States 
Department of Agriculture, is designated as the governmental inspection 
service for certifying the grade, size, quality, and maturity of 
avocados imported into the United States. Inspection by the Federal or 
Federal-State Inspection Service with evidence thereof in the form of an 
official inspection certificate, issued by the respective service, 
applicable to the particular shipment of avocados, is required on all 
such imports. The inspection and certification services will be 
available upon application in accordance with the Regulations Governing 
Inspection, Certification and Standards of Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, and 
Other Products (7 CFR part 51),

[[Page 327]]

and in accordance with the regulation designating inspection services 
and procedure for obtaining inspection and certification (7 CFR 
944.400).
    (f) Any lot or portion thereof which fails to meet the import 
requirements, and is not being imported for purposes of consumption by 
charitable institutions, distribution by relief agencies, seed, or 
commercial processing into products; prior to or after reconditioning 
may be exported or disposed of under the supervision of the Federal or 
Federal-State Inspection Service with the costs of certifying the 
disposal of such lot borne by the importer.
    (g) The maturity requirements of this section shall not be 
applicable to avocados imported for consumption by charitable 
institutions, distribution by relief agencies, seed, or commercial 
processing into products, but such avocados shall be subject to the 
safeguard provisions contained in Sec. 944.350.

[59 FR 30871, June 16, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 13058, Mar. 26, 1996; 
64 FR 53186, Oct. 1, 1999]