USDA APHIS identifies codling moth, fire blight, and certain fruit flies as key quarantine concerns for fresh apples and pears. Depending on the origin, shipments may require a systems approach (orchard monitoring, cold treatment, or inspection protocols) or may be subject to import restrictions. Importers should review current APHIS import requirements for the specific origin and variety before contracting.

Chile and New Zealand harvest apples in their Southern Hemisphere autumn (roughly March–May), making their fruit available in the US market from approximately April through August — the period when domestic US apple stocks from the prior fall harvest are running low. Importers and retailers plan procurement around this window to maintain year-round fresh apple availability, and cold-chain transit time from both origins is a key logistics variable.