Last week, the National Agrarian Health Service (SENASA) received delegations from the official Phytosanitary Organizations from South Korea and from the Popular Republic of China to manage the opening of their markets to the Peruvian fresh mango and for the coming export of fresh asparagus, respectively.
A delegation from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of South Korea was in Peru inspecting in situ the production sites of mango with the purpose of opening its market to this Peruvian fresh product.
The Korean delegation, accompanied by experts of SENASA, performed phytosanitary assessments in the production sites, the packing facilities, and the hot water processing facilities. The results of these evaluations will help authorities establish the phytosanitary protocol for the export of mango.
Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Cajamarca, and Ancash would be the first regions to export their production.
After the visit and the agreement reached between SENASA and QIA, the processes for the publication of the final rule in Korea will continue, so that mango exports can begin.
According to estimates, Peru would export between 600 and 1,000 tons of mangoes to the Korean market per year; a similar amount to what it ships to Japan.
Recently, Agraria.pe spoke to the general manager of the Association of Mango Producers and Exporters (APEM), Juan Carlos Rivera Ortega, who said the permit to export fresh mangoes to South Korea could be ready this year. However, since the end of the campaign is near, exports would start next season (2015/2016) which begins in November.
Asparagus for China
A delegation of inspectors from the Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) was also in Peru. The delegation visited the producing and packing areas of asparagus in the regions of La Libertad, Lima, and Ica to verify that the phytosanitary conditions complied with the framework of the protocol for fresh asparagus exports.
China could become the second destination, after the United States, for this flagship export product because they require this fresh vegetable to produce canned goods for the demanding European markets.
This visit was a condition so that the shipments of asparagus to this market could start.
In this regard, the executive director of the Peruvian Institute of Asparagus and Vegetables (IPEH), Carlos Zamorano Macchiavello, said that the first companies to ship these products would be Beta, Camposol, Danper, Chapi, La Venta, and AgroParacas, which were visited by the representatives of the Chinese phytosanitary authority.
"AQSIQ officials checked the fields, the packing plants and the phytosanitary processes carried out by SENASA in each plant, i.e. the physical review of the loads. Once they issue a document confirming these procedures are properly done, we will be able to export fresh asparagus to China," he said.
Regarding China's potential for Peruvian fresh asparagus, Zamorano Macchiavello said it was a mysterious market, but that the increase in consumption of that product in China, and the importers interest in Peruvian asparagus, as well as the Peruvian exporters interest, made him think there was going to be good movement.
Carlos Zamorano said that Peru should take advantage of the trade window between October and January, which is the period in which Peru has its greatest production of asparagus and when China doesn't produce it.
"Asparagus production in China begins in mid-February, near the New Year, and we must avoid overlapping our production with theirs, so this year our production isn't well adjusted to those schedules and we won't have a very clear idea of the real potential there is. I think next year will reflect better the existing market for our shipments," he said.
On the possibility that other national companies export fresh asparagus to China, he said they wouldn't need to be visited by another delegation of representatives from AQSIQ, as SENASA would be responsible for performing the producing and packing areas and would report to the Chinese health authority about the producers' integrated pest management, good agricultural practices, and other issues.
Source: Agraria.pe