Commodity risk assessment of Momordica charantia fruits from Sri Lanka

Abstract

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High risk plants, plant products and other objects'. Momordica fruits originating from countries where Thrips palmi is known to occur qualify as high-risk plants. This Scientific Opinion covers the introduction risk for T. palmi posed by fruits of Momordica charantia L. imported from Sri Lanka, taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the National Plant Quarantine Service of Sri Lanka. The risk mitigation measures proposed in the technical dossier from Sri Lanka were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. An expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the potential pest pressure in the field, the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest in the field and in the packing house, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. For T. palmi on M. charantia fruits from Sri Lanka, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom following the evaluation of the risk mitigation measures acting on T. palmi, including any uncertainties. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty that between 9831 and 10,000 M. charantia fruits/10,000 will be free from T. palmi.

Pest categorisation of Paracoccus marginatus

“…Jasminum polyanthum , Persea americana and Momordica charantia are listed in Annex I of EU 2018/2019, as high‐risk plants whose introduction into the EU is prohibited pending risk assessment. Following the evaluation of dossiers on J. polyanthum from Israel (EFSA PLH Panel, 2020; leading to EU 2021/419) and from Uganda (EFSA PLH Panel, 2022; EU 2022/1942), P. americana from Israel (EFSA PLH Panel, 2021a; EU 2021/1936) and M. charantia from Mexico, Sri Lanka and Thailand (EFSA PLH Panel, 2021c, 2021d, 2021e; EU 2022/853), these commodity/country combinations have been exempted from the prohibition. P. marginatus is present in all five of these countries.…”