The current global financial crisis and the forthcoming change in US administrations have reportedly disrupted the Argentine lemon sector’s plans to return to the North American market in 2009.
Although the sector remains hopeful that the US authorities will proceed with the publication of a protocol that will allow the re-entry of Argentine lemons into the market, exporters believe that the change is unlikely to take effect until after the new administration enters office on 20 January.
“I don’t believe there will be any changes until after Obama is in place – it will be postponed because the current administration won’t take this type of decision,” Roberto Sánchez Loria, president of the Tucuman Citrus Association, told Diario La Gaceta.
“If the protocol is at least presented (this year), then there will be some chance that we could enter the US in 2009, but with the current state of matters, that possibility is lessened,” he added.
