Chile has received full authorisation to ship avocados to China following the signing of an initial protocol in July. According to Chile’s Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG), the signing took place in China on 5 September, following a visit by Chinese officials to production areas and packing facilities in the Andean nation to verify that they comply with the conditions set out in the protocol.
The agreement will initially last for a period of two years. Under the terms of the deal, the avocados must come from production zones that are free from fruit fly and comply with the phytosanitary regulations set out by China’s plant health authority.
According to Asoex, Chile’s avocado export volume increased by 92.1 per cent to 63,621 tonnes in 2013/14, making it one of the fastest growing fruit exports and the third biggest export item in volume terms. Shipments to Asia rose by 59.2 per cent.
Chile is now the only country apart from Mexico that can ship avocados to China, and while the demand for avocados is growing, there is still some way to go in terms of educating consumers.
