WASHINGTON: The National Health Service and Food Quality (Senasa) and the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) reached an agreement regarding the terms of the phytosanitary protocol for the export of fresh table grapes from Argentina to China. The meeting took place within the framework of the XX Meeting of Joint Economic-Trade between China and Argentina that was held in Beijing on July 11 and 12.
The request for access was filed in 2012, but the risk analysis of the Argentinean fruit began in 2013. After the analysis, China conducted an inspection visit in February 2015 and, thereafter, began exchanges regarding the requirements to import table grapes. The protocol, which is of great interest to the province of San Juan and other productive areas of Argentina, will be signed at the next meeting between the authorities of the Ministry of Agricultural Industry and AQSIQ, with the aim of achieving the first shipments of table grapes during the next export season, which will start in January 2017.
Minister Ricardo Buryaile welcomed the agreement saying that “it is part of the intense negotiations that we held with China. We have a very clear objective, which is to promote the inclusion of Argentina in the world and position ourselves as a reliable suppliers of our products and services.” Thus, the country will aim to capture part of a market that has a growing demand that is currently being supplied by a few suppliers.
According to data from the Chinese Customs, in 2015 China imported 216,000 tons of table grapes worth 586 million dollars. The main suppliers by volume were Chile (42%), Peru (34%), the United States (10%), and Australia (7%). During 2015, Argentina exported 13,012 tons of fresh grapes to Russia, it’s main export destination (32%), Brazil (27%), the Netherlands (17%) and Bolivia (5%), among others.
Regarding the meeting, the president of Senasa, Jorge Dillon, said “this agreement is very important for the grape-producing provinces of Argentina. Expectations are very high, because of what China represents as a market. They can demand a large volume of Argentinean fruit,” he said and later added that “the role of Senasa was key, because the Chinese phytosanitary requirements, especially for fruit, are very high.” The conclusion of this negotiation will accelerate negotiations for opening the Chinese market to Argentinean cherries and blueberries.
