A group of 29 experts from around the world gathered in Argentina to discuss the development of phytosanitary cold treatment in the fruit industry. The five-day event, organised by the National Food Safety and Quality Service (Senasa) and the secretariat of the International Phytosanitary Protection Convention (CIPF), brought together public and private institutions from Australia, Chile, the US, South Africa, South Korea, France, Japan, New Zealand and Peru to exchange ideas on the different aspects of cold treatment technology and the experiences of each country in its use.
The topics discussed at the meeting – which took place in early December – included Argentina’s experience shipping lemons subjected to cold treatment to Japan; the use of cold treatment by South African citrus exporters, and the processes involved in using cold treatment to eradicate Mediterranean fruit fly.
“This is the first time that international experts have got together with the aim of establishing a forum where the development and use of cold treatment can be discussed and a common understanding on the subject can be reached,” said Ezequiel Ferro of Senasa’s National Plant Protection Board (DNPV).
A working plan was agreed to identify key areas where further research would be undertaken in the two years before the next meeting, which is due to take place in South Africa in August 2015.
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