The early harvest of tangerines is almost ending. The citrus companies have exported about 36,000 tons, nearly a quarter of the estimated total production, which will be between 140,000 and 150,000 tons this year.
Sales to the United States are moving forward. "We have exported 2,700 tons of fresh fruit to that market. Shipments have arrived safely and the fruit was very well received by consumers," said Federico Montes, citrus advisor to the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries.
The Uruguayan fruit is known for its better quality and taste when compared to the products that other producers export to the U.S. market, said the importers.
"Entering this destination is one of the most important milestones for the Uruguayan citrus, not only for its economic impact, but also because of the renewal of the whole sector's agenda," said the Montes. Opening the U.S. market demanded more than 25 years of negotiations.
Entering the U.S. market accelerated all research processes, varietal renewal and other key aspects for the market's development, giving hope to an industry that wasn't going through its best moment.
The first shipments of citrus fruit to the U.S. were of Satsuma tangerines, followed by Clementines, which have had the largest volume exported so far. The Clementines are easy to peel, seeded tangerines that have a great taste; something that has caught the American consumers attention.
Current shipments are of table oranges (navel oranges) and then there will be shipments of midseason tangerines.
"There has been a very good response from the public and the private sectors as we have complied with all the protocols that the United States has established," said Montes, which ensures their permanence in this market.
In parallel, the citrus industry continues to seek better international insertion. "This sector should and needs to have an even greater international integration, it's not enough to export to Russia, the European Union, Brazil and the United States, which are the four main markets that we currently access," admitted Montes.
The health negotiations to enter fresh fruit in Asia, mainly in Indonesia and the Philippines are still pending. These markets demand heavy volumes. The country is also targeting other major destinations such as Mexico, India, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia.
Since the citrus sector has to think 15 or 20 years in advance, the sector is running an entire varietal conversion that will be key to achieving international integration in the future. In that sense, the research of new varieties and the probing of potential markets where they can be placed, taking into account production values, is advancing.
Source: elpais.com.uy