Peruvian avocados could shortly become a regular fixture on US supermarket shelves once a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is established between the two nations.
According to the Peruvian Ministry of Agriculture (Minag), a sanitary and phytosanitary protocol to facilitate exports of Peruvian avocados is currently in the final review stages and is due to be signed by the end of this year.
“This would mark the entry into a new market for Peruvian avocados starting in 2009,” revealed Oscar Sebastiani, who heads up Minag’s Agricultural Promotion Programme.
“Under the Peru-US FTA, Peru will receive immediate zero tariff treatment for its avocados, meaning Peruvian growers with an entrepreneurial attitude will have the opportunity to take advantage,” Mr Sebastiani added.
The Peruvian avocado industry has for the last five years negotiated to gain access to the US, where the country will compete directly with Californian growers.
Peru is also reportedly working to open up the avocado markets of country members belonging to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, such as China.
Peruvian avocado exports reached some US$54m during the January to July period of this year, marking a 32 per cent increase on the value of shipments during the same period of 2007.
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