The phytosanitary authorities of Peru and the United States should hold a bilateral meeting between September and October of this year to decide if the US will allow the entry of fresh asparagus without fumigation.
This was announced by the executive director of the Peruvian Institute of Asparagus and Vegetables (IPEH), Carlos Zamorano Macchiavello, who also said that the National Agrarian Health Service (Senasa) had already presented definite proposals to the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and that they were waiting for concrete answers.
He added that the Senasa had proposed certifications for asparagus fields and asparagus packing plants.
The first certification will verify that producers are carrying out an adequate integrated pest management in the fields; while the second certification will verify that the packing plants conduct good manufacturing practices.
Carlos Zamorano said that Peru already carried out field certifications for different crops, such as mango, grape, avocado, but that it had never done it for asparagus crops. He also said that the idea was to take advantage of this tool to formalize the industry and have fields and plants that are duly certified to ensure they receive the appropriate treatments.
"If the US lifts the requirement for fumigation for fresh asparagus, our country would immediately begin to dispatch this vegetable without that treatment because Peru produces asparagus all year round," he said.
Source: agraria.pe