Recently, SAG and ASOEX managed to close negotiations to increase the shipment of fruit to the People's Republic of China.
"The SAG sent a series of studies explaining to the Chinese authorities that the quarantine for fruit flies should apply within a 27.2 km radius and that it made no sense to quarantine an entire region, as it was usually done when an outbreak of the pest was detected," explains Juan Enrique Lazo, general manager of the Chilean Hass Avocado Committee AG.
Following these studies, the Phytosanitary Agency of China (AQSIQ) reported that it would initiate legal procedures to lift the quarantine, which required cold treatment to be carried out with all horticultural products imported from the Metropolitan region and Valparaiso, making avocado exports unfeasible, since the fruit could not withstand this process.
"For us this is very important, given that the regions with the largest Hass avocado acreage are precisely the Metropolitan area and the Fifth Region, which together account for about 85% of the fruit exported and 76% of the acreage. This will make it possible to export a considerable volume next season, due to the larger calibres that can be obtained in these regions compared to the north, which is suffering a severe drought," explains Juan Enrique.
Water scarcity in the Fourth and Fifth Regions, which last season accounted for 13 and 65% of the country's Hass avocado exports, respectively, have resulted in a reduction in calibres this season, where the Committee expects fewer than 70,000 tonnes to be exported.
"Despite the drought, we are very happy, because as soon as we start the 2015/2016 season we'll be able to export avocados to China; an important market that will allow us to grow, because we have very good quality fruit which can arrive in perfect condition to this Asian market," concludes Juan Enrique.
Juan Enrique Lazo R.
General Manager
Comité de Paltas Hass de Chile AG
T: (56-2) 2334 5189