Chile has started the process of negotiating access for its Hass avocados to South Korea.
The discussions were held during a visit by a delegation of public and private industry representatives and plant health officials to Incheon for the annual meeting of the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization’s International Convention of Phytosanitary Measures last week.
The discussions covered export protocols for other Chilean fruits seeking access to South Korea and South Korean fruits destined for Chile, such as soft fruit, mandarins, persimmon and chestnuts.
Given that South Korea grows avocados domestically, has been importing them from Mexico since last year and is in the process of negotiating market access for Peruvian avocados, the discussions are expected to advance swiftly.
“Asia is the second biggest market for Chilean fruit exports, absorbing more than 482,000 tonnes during the 2015/16 campaign, and within the region, South Korea is our third biggest market,” said Miguel Canala-Echeverría, general manager of Asoex.
“It is a very important market and represents a huge opportunity for our exports, especially in light of the current discussions to update the free trade agreement that exists between the two countries.”
