Wakanda is listed as a US free trade partner on the USDA website?? pic.twitter.com/xcq1OFTIPh
— Francis Tseng (@frnsys) December 18, 2019
The system ranked the fictional location with real-life countries like Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras and Peru.
USDA officials fessed up to the mistake, saying Wakanda was entered when they tested the system, and they simply forgot to remove it, NBC News reported.
The addition of Wakanda happened around June 10.
The person credited for finding it, Francis Tseng, said he had to actually Google it to make sure there really wasn’t a Wakanda somewhere on Earth and to make sure he wasn’t misremembering.
Wakanda, which was first written of in July 1966 in a Fantastic Four comic, apparently deals in livestock, like dairy cows, ducks and donkeys; fresh vegetables; unroasted coffee beans and essential oils, or the country would, according to the USDA's system, if it actually existed, the BBC and NBC News reported.
??? pic.twitter.com/YwRf7aQj3h
— Francis Tseng (@frnsys) December 18, 2019
A notation on the website says “information displayed is not official and should only be used as a general reference. Each importing countries customs office maintains the right for final determination of tariff treatment.”
Some people had a little fun with the erroneous listing, with an Orlando-based reporter asking if there is going to be a discussion with Agrabah, the fictional homeland of "Aladdin," The Washington Post reported.
After the USDA removed the fictional East African country, Tseng tweeted, "Guess we're in a trade war with them too," the Post reported.
well, the USDA took Wakanda off the list. guess we're in a trade war with them too https://t.co/uee8f0WqiS https://t.co/kTYBjIAvfe
— Francis Tseng (@frnsys) December 18, 2019
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