Addressing phytosanitary requirements took several years of technical negotiations
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced Vietnam has granted market access for California peaches and nectarines.
Eliminating the phytosanitary barriers keeping California peaches and nectarines out of the Vietnamese market required multiple rounds of technical negotiations over the course of several years.
“This market access is a big win for California’s nectarine and peach producers,” said USDA’s Jenny Lester Moffitt, undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs.
“Our APHIS trade team members have worked diligently to make this a reality for Vietnam’s citizens. We are thrilled they will now have access to the fine peach and nectarine fruit that California produces.”
In response to the announcement, the California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) extended its appreciation to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, and Agricultural Research Service’s negotiators and experts, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Fresno County and Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner offices for their contributions to the process.
“This is a fantastic example of USDA scientists providing the quality and objective research that was essential for Vietnam’s approval and for future US industry exports,” said Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA chief scientist and undersecretary for research, education and economics. “This new international market access underscores the critical value of federal scientific research and data to the overall food supply system.”
CFFA acknowledged there will be strict production and packing protocols in place, but it said California stonefruit shippers have already demonstrated a commitment to meeting Vietnam’s requirements.
“The California stonefruit industry identified Vietnam as a strategic export market because Vietnamese consumers value high quality and sweet fruit,” said Caroline Stringer, CFFA director of trade. “Access to this market is something our industry has been working towards for a significant amount of time, so we are looking forward to introducing the best stonefruit in the world to a new group of consumers.”
