Hass avocados

Peruvian Hass avocado shipments to China could get underway in the coming weeks following the news that the Asian country has approved imports subject to the necessary phytosanitary protocols being established. Announcing the breakthrough, agriculture minister Juan Manuel Benites said restrictions on shipments to Japan could also be lifted following the agreement by Japanese officials of a working plan set out by the Peruvian Hass avocado industry.

The two markets have a combined population of 1.4bn and could raise an extra US$50m in export revenue for the industry, Benites said.

The agreement with China was reached during a meeting between inspectors from China'sGeneral Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (Aqsiq) and specialists from Senasa earlier this week and is due to be ratified shortly.

Aqsiq inspectors are due to travel to Peru at the end of March or beginning of April to visit production and packing facilities prior to exports getting underway.