Argentina's National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service (Senasa) and Mexico's National Agri-Food Health, Safety, and Quality Service (Senasica) have signed an addendum to their export protocol for pears and apples. This update aims to expedite shipments to Mexico and strengthen trade relations between the two countries.
Mexico is the fourth-largest market for Argentine pear exports, with over 14,000 tons so far in 2025. As such, Mexico is a strategic destination for the fruit production sectors of the Alto Valle of Río Negro and Neuquén.
The addendum, officially announced by both nations, updates the phytosanitary requirements for trading pears and apples to meet Mexico's standards. This update is supported by new scientific evidence from Argentina.
The export protocols for Mexico include a cold treatment at origin (TFO), which involves keeping the fruit at 0 °C for 42 days to help eliminate mobile stages of mealybugs and grafolita larvae. However, this system did not account for the impact of cold on stages like the eggs of Pseudococcus viburni (mealybug) due to a lack of scientific research on the mortality of the species' ovipositions.
In this context, an inter-institutional research project led by INTA was launched to demonstrate that cold treatment prevents mealybug eggs from developing, ensuring the quality of the exported fresh fruit.
This work, completed in record time, required collaboration and coordination with other institutions, including the Obispo Colombres Agricultural Experimental Station (Tucumán), the Foundation for the Study of Invasive Species (FuEDEI), and the Committee of Producers and Exporters of Fruit and Vegetables to the USA (Copexeu). The results of this research are highly significant because they affect the logistics of export work plans to Mexico.
"Mexico is a key market for Argentine pears, with approximately 18,000 tons traded, highlighting its importance for fruit production in the Alto Valle de Río Negro and Neuquén. This collaboration among producers, companies, and institutions should be maintained with sanitary measures like those outlined in this study," stated the president of Copexeu, Rogerto Gregori.
For more information:
www.argentina.gob.ar
