(Ecofin Agency) - Citruses exports to the U.S. from Morocco have restarted. The news was confirmed by the National Office for Food Quality and Safety (ONSSA in French) which said the ban on Moroccan citruses exports to the United States has been lifted.

The ban was issued by U.S. authorities after they discovered in a cargo of Morocco-imported Clementine fruit fly larvae. 

Decision to lift the ban follows a series of meetings and discussions between the U.S. government, the U.S. phytosanitary authorities (APHIS) and the ONSSA that drew together an operational action plan to handle the issue. The plan includes a number of measures to take to prevent the insect from infesting exported citruses.

Restarting exports to the U.S. is good news for the Cherifian kingdom which struggles to meet its export goals (1.3 million tons by 2018).

Let’s recall that while up to 9% of citruses produced in Morocco is shipped to the U.S, the European Union remains its main export market for the commodity with 220,000 tons of citruses and produce, followed by Russia and Canada according to L’Economiste.