Argentina’s agriculture secretary Gabriel Delgado met with inspectors from plant health authority Aqsiq in China last week to discuss phytosanitary issues relating to securing access to the Chinese market for a number of new Argentinean products.
The South American country already supplies soya oil and kidney beans to China and has been looking to diversify its export offer.
Aqsiq inspectors are due to visit some of Argentina’s main apple and pear production areas in early November to monitor the implementation of measures set out in the phytosanitary protocol signed during a visit by Chinese premier Xi JinPing in July. This could pave the way for the first topfruit shipments to China to be carried out in 2015, concluding 15 years of negotiations.
During last week’s meeting it was also agreed that Aqsiq inspectors would visit return to Argentina in early of January to conclude their pest risk analysis for table grapes, paving the way for the official signing of a protocol in the first half of next year. Delgado also called for discussions to get underway on securing access for Argentine blueberries and cherries.
In 2013, China imported US$514m of table grapes, US$296m of cherries and US$67m of apples.
Delgado’s visit comes ahead of a planned visit by Argentina’s agriculture minister Carlos Casamiquela to China next month.
