Commodity risk assessment of Momordica charantia fruits from Sri Lanka

• Main Authors: EFSA Panel on Plant Health (PLH), Claude Bragard, Katharina Dehnen‐Schmutz, Francesco Di Serio, Paolo Gonthier, Marie‐Agnès Jacques, Josep Anton Jaques Miret, Annemarie Fejer Justesen, Alan MacLeod, Christer Sven Magnusson, Juan A Navas‐Cortes, Stephen Parnell, Roel Potting, Philippe Lucien Reignault, Hans‐Hermann Thulke, Wopke Van der Werf, Antonio Vicent Civera, Jonathan Yuen, Lucia Zappalà, Andrea Lucchi, Antoon Loomans, Olaf Mosbach‐Schulz, Eduardo de la Peña, Panagiotis Milonas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2021-02-01
• Series: EFSA Journal
• Subjects: European Union; plant health; plant pest; quarantine; Thrips palmi; Momordica charantia
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6397

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.