The National Health, Food Safety and Quality Service (SENASICA) stated that Australia's Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) had authorized imports of fresh table grapes from Sonora.
According to Senasica, the DAWR issued the notification after having officially published the Final Report establishing the phytosanitary requirements that the areas producing table grapes for export in Sonora, Mexico, must comply with to be able to export to Australia.
Opening the Australian market for table grapes from Sonora is an important achievement of the Mexican Government that will benefit producers, packers, exporters, and all the members of the table grape production chain in Sonora, as well as the national economy.
Producers from Sonora that comply with the risk management measures established by the Australian phytosanitary authority, are expected to start positioning their table grapes in that market this year.
Mexico currently exports table grapes to 14 countries, and their main market is the United States, to which they sold 118,000 tons of this product in 2016.
Mexico has 30,200 hectares of grapes, which produce more than 370,000 tons per year, according to data from the Agricultural and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP).
According to the 2016 Agricultural Food Atlas, Sonora leads the country's grape production intended for fresh consumption, as in 2015 it accounted for 249,415 tons of the 282,552 tons produced in the country.
This means that nine out of 10 tons produced in the country were harvested in Sonora. Hermosillo and Caborca are the most productive municipalities and the highest production volume is obtained in June and July.
The grapes are grown in 14 states, led by Sonora, with 20,800 hectares; Baja California, with 4,250 hectares, and Zacatecas with 3,500 hectares.
Source: cdnoticias.com.mx