The citrus industry is facing one of the most serious profitability crises in its history. The entities that represent it are procuring palliatives so the producers don't stop taking care of their lands and are looking for structural solutions to the crisis, including opening the US market.
Dr. Mariano Caprarulo, Executive Director of CECNEA, and Cecil Taylor, President of Concordia Citrus Growers Association, a member of the Citrus Federation of Entre Rios, met with two officials from the Department of Agriculture of the United States: Osama A. El-Lissy, Deputy Administrator in charge of the Protection and Quarantine Plan, and Alan K. Dowdy Assistant, Deputy Administrator of the Protection and Quarantine plan.
Even though both stated that there still were difficulties in obtaining the entry of fresh citrus in the US market, they valued the good private relationship achieved between NEA producers and their counterparts in Florida and California, which creates favorable medium-term expectations. It is worth noting that, thanks to the efforts of CECNEA, several years ago producers, officials, legislators and American technicians visited the production area in Entre Rios and certified the high quality of its fruits.
Once again, it became clear in the dialogue with US representatives that the income of mandarins and Argentine oranges won't be possible until the entrance of the lime is approved, which is in the final regulatory standard procedure drafting process.
The indifference of the Argentine State
Osama El-Lissy was surprised because the Argentine diplomatic representatives didn't show an interest in lobbying in favor of mandarins and oranges.
Caprarulo and Taylor also met with Engineer Jose Molina, Agricultural Attache in WDC. Molina identified three main issues on the agenda: meat, which was already granted access; lime, which is in the final process, and finally, mandarins and oranges.
Molina said that, since the entry of meat and lime to the American market would soon be a reality, things should speed up for the opening of mandarins and oranges and that he would be waiting for instructions. He also stated that an active political presence in the negotiations could favorably influence them, especially if one takes into account that there are other third countries requesting the entrance of 1,300 products to the United States. Thus, a high-level political support was imperative.
Florida backup
Caprarulo and Taylor also met with the President of Florida Citrus Mutual, Mike Spars, who was very concerned about the HLB that had affected one hundred percent of what had been planted. Only 200,000 hectares of sweet citrus are left in the region of Florida, against the 800,000 hectares it had years ago. Spars did not object to supporting the entry of citrus from northeastern Argentina.
Tim Gottwald, from the Horticultural Research Laboratory, also expressed his support so that Argentine oranges and mandarins are granted access to the US market and offered his connections to push the paperwork. However, he said, there are elections in the United States in 2016 so it will be a special year.
As Spars, Gottwald did not hide the great concern there is in Florida because of the HLB, a disease for which there still is no solution, even though there are 250 people working in a laboratory program to find a cure for the disease.
Chile, Peru and Uruguay already have access to the United States
The efforts performed are aimed at achieving for the citrus of the NEA what its main competitors in sweet citrus, South Africa, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay already have.
The representatives of the US private sector stated that the marketing of the fruit from those countries was working well.
It is worth mentioning that the quality of the mandarins and oranges exported to the US by Uruguay are similar to that of the region certified by the NEA.
This proves that Argentina has not yet managed to enter the United States solely and exclusively because it is lacking firm and decisive management from the federal government.
Source: elentrerios.com