Taiwanese authorities have granted access to stonefruit from the Australian state of Victoria, reopening the market five years after Australian growers lost access due to fruit fly concerns.
Access has been granted to white-flesh peaches, nectarines and cherries, but not plums, according to peak body Summerfruit Australia’s CEO John Moore.
He said the quarantine protocols had been agreed, but not released in English yet, reported the Weekly Times.
The protocols would include pre-export cold de-infestation treatment or in-transit cold treatment, the report said; the same treatment as applies to citrus, table grapes, kiwifruit and cherries from fruit fly-affected areas.
The renewed access had been in the works since last year, with an announcement in October that an agreement was close on a new protocol.
Prior to the loss of access, Taiwan had been one of Australia’s best export markets for stonefruit. The loss of Taiwan led to an oversupply of the domestic market with a resulting slump in prices.
Australian exporters re-entering them market will now have to compete with Chilean stonefruit, which has filled much of the market share Australia lost five years ago.
The first Australian exports to Taiwan are likely to start in January next year.
