Upala Agricola, a pineapple producing company, became one of the first exporters of this product to China after having complied with a series of requirements demanded by this market.
The process began in 2014, with the first evaluations made by officials of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ).
These inspections covered all stages of agricultural production, from land selection, planting, crop development, and harvesting. The organization was informed about the phytosanitary management of the production of this fruit, including issues of pest control, weeds and diseases.
After signing the protocol with the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements demanded by China, and a last visit of the Chinese officials, Upala Agricola was given permission to initiate exports to that country.
"Having been a part of these negotiations from the outset, and having been audited to verify compliance with the production standards demanded by the People's Republic of China, the results we have obtained during this technical visit are a reward for the effort and coordination made at the country and company level to reach this goal," said Alfredo Volio, president of Upala Agricola.
The company has various certifications, such as GlobalGAP, Rainforest Alliance and BRC, which recognize the high standards of quality and safety of their agroindustrial processes, which were key during the negotiation process with buyers.
Major fresh-food distributors in China are interested in marketing Upala Agricola's pineapples, which will compete with those produced in China, the Philippines, Taiwan, and other Southeast Asian countries. However, it is expected that the Costa Rican pineapple, which is well-known worldwide because of its sweetness and quality, will allows Upala Agricola to quickly position their pineapple in this Asian market.
"Upala Agricola is a company that is highly committed to its clients, with whom we work hand in hand to become strategic allies. We produce quality fruit with the specifications that satisfy their demands, we have the logistics channels to reach their markets, and we have eight certifications that support our fruit production, packaging and marketing processes with high standards of quality, safety and Corporate, Social Responsibility," Volio said.
Source: larepublica.net