Representatives from Chile and China met last week in order to discuss ways in which to facilitate market access for Chilean fruit in China, and to gain entry to the People’s Republic for Chilean avocados.
The Chilean Ministry of Agriculture, Chile’s Agricultural Phytosanitary Service (SAG) and the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (Asoex) met on Friday 19 April with a delegation from China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) and the China Inspection and Quarantine Services (CIQ).
In addition to meetings, the visit by Chinese officials also consisted of tours to Chile's producing zones for avocados, apples and kiwifruit in order to verify the production and export process.
According to Asoex, during 2011/12 Chile’s fruit exports to Asia rose by 10.9 per cent from 344,006 tonnes to 380,718 tonnes.
Of that total, some 101,778 tonnes were received by Hong Kong, while 66,842 tonnes reached continental China.
Both markets represented 45 per cent of Chile’s total fruit exports to Asia.
China remains an important market for Chilean table grapes, cherries and apples, which combined represent 85 per cent of total Chilean fruit exports to the country.
