The European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, welcomed the end of negotiations with Chile and stated that "the EU's environmental sector continues to be one of our most dynamic sectors and Chile has great potential to create opportunities for farmers and businesses in this category."
According to Hogan, "what we signed will contribute to create jobs and growth for both partners guaranteeing consumers that the organic products will have a solid control system."
The agreement was signed by the National Director of the Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies (PASO), Claudia Carbonell, and by the head of the Directorate General for Agriculture of the European Union, Maria Angeles Benitez, within the framework of Minister Furche's participation at the Ministerial Meeting of the Agriculture Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. The agreement will allow organic farmers from both countries to reach a broader market, while reducing the administrative burden on producers and enterprises. Ultimately, European and Chilean consumers will have more environmentally friendly products available.
The Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Furche, highlighted the recognition of equivalence in the trade of organic products with the European Union.
The organic sector is one of the most dynamic agricultural food sectors within the EU. To date, the EU has 10.3 million hectares devoted to organic crops, mainly in Spain, Italy, France, and Germany.
The EU organic product market represents 40 percent of the world market for these kind of products, only behind the United States. In 2015, Chile exported more than $43 million dollars of organic products to the EU, led by blueberry exports, which amounted to nearly $10 million dollars, followed by kiwis and apples.
Source: fyh.es