The positions of Costa Rica and Mexico over the avocado issue remain far apart, as it became clear after a technical meeting held on Monday at Comex.
The Ministry of Foreign Trade (Comex) organized the meeting but Mexico held on to its position that Costa Rica should reopen the market to trade that fruit, acknowledged the minister of that portfolio, Alexander Mora.
Costa Rica suspended import permits of Hass avocado variety from Mexico after the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE), approved the measure on May 5 this year, arguing the possible entry of the sun blotch disease.
After Mexico and Guatemala presented the issue at the level of trade concerns in the Committee on Agriculture of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Comex initiated efforts to reach an agreement.
The technical meeting was not achieved until Monday. At that meeting, the SFE repeated that there is a risk of entry of disease and therefore denied the option of reopening the market.
Randall Benavides, president of the Chamber of Exporters and Importers of perishable goods, said he had met with the Mexican side and that the officials had complained about the inflexibility of the SFE.
Yesterday, the Embassy of Mexico was asked about this issue but they said they would have to seek information.
According to Yolanda Fernandez, president of the Costa Rica-Mexico Chamber of Industry and Trade (Cicomex), there seems to be an interest in taking this issue up with a panel of the WTO.
Source: nacion.com