Chile exported 870 thousand tons of fruit to the United States in the 2016-2017 period, which accounts for a third (33.4%) of all fruit exports.
The entire Chilean production chain needs to consider the impact that the new regulations of the Food Safety Modernization Law (FSMA) implemented by that country will have for the imports of fruits and vegetables.
In this context, on Thursday, April 26, the PMA (Global Horticultural Association) will hold a seminar for its partners in Chile at the Intercontinental Hotel, where they will conduct a comprehensive review of the regulatory framework for food safety in the United States, and its scope and implications for Chile from the perspective of the different actors.
"The FSMA will be a transformative element because of the way it affects each segment of the supply chain of the fruit and vegetable business. It is relevant to consider the new challenges and complexities that the FSMA poses in terms of safety and its impact on the Chilean industry," says the PMA representative in Chile, Andres Rodriguez.
In fact, new demands are being placed on the importer, which, if not applied, must be reported to the United States authorities in civil and criminal matters. "The importer is now responsible for ensuring that the food he imports is produced in compliance with the same requirements that the Americans have. Therefore, producers and exporters must deliver on time the background that certifies that they are complying with the new law, in addition to having people trained under the FSMA standard," stated Manuel Jose Alcaino, a moderator at the seminar and a member of the Chilean Council of PMA.
The Food and Drug Administration of the USA (FDA, for its acronym in English) has proposed seven major regulations for the FSMA, which affect the way the fresh fruits and vegetables are grown, packaged, processed, shipped, and imported into that country. The seven regulations are:
· Standard for fresh fruits and vegetables
· Preventive controls for food for human consumption
· Preventive controls for animal feed
· Foreign suppliers verification programs (FSVP)
· Independent accreditation
· Mitigation of intentional adulteration
· Health transports
The speakers at the seminar panel include, Gonzalo Ibañez, a regulatory analyst of the FDA; Ricardo Adonis, the executive secretary of the Asoex Safety Committee and development manager at the Foundation for Fruit Development; Kristine Phillips, an expert from the fresh fruit importer Dayka & Hackett; Hans Leibbranddt, Sourcing Director of Walmart, and Richard Islas, Global Trainer Manager of Agrofoodsafety USA.