The National Agricultural Food Health and Quality Service (Senasa) declared the Northern Patagonia area free of fruit flies, which means this area has a sanitary status that will allow it to export fruit directly to China starting 2021.
The cherry sector, for example, was already making shipments to that country, but through quarantine treatment, and not through direct flights. The authorization implies fewer costs for certain fruits that, in order to be sent to China, need a cold treatment, something that adds costs and decreases market days.
The National Program for the Control and Eradication of Fruit Flies (Procem Patagonia) intervened in the health certification not only for the cherry protocol, but for other fruits such as pear, apple, and grapes
The Department of Plant and Animal Quarantine Supervision of the Customs' General Administration (Gacc) evaluated the Chinese inspection of the region in order to certify the free area and sent the communication to exporters on March 18.
In the last season, Argentina exported 5,600 tons of cherries, i.e. 100 more than in the previous season. The volume from Patagonia accounts for just over 90%.
source： Fruit Plaza
