Colombian avos to US Cartagena ceremony pic3

A ceremony was held in Cartagena to mark the first shipment of Colombian avocados to the US

The US undersecretary of agriculture Ted McKinney said that he sees “a clear path” for the entry of 15 new Colombian agricultural products, from bell peppers to citrus fruits, into the US market.

The remarks followed a meeting McKinney held with Colombian agriculture minister Juan Guillermo Zuluaga this week to discuss a possible agricultural exchange between the two countries.

Among the 15 Colombian products currently awaiting authorisation to enter the US market are peppers, melon, watermelon, mango, granadilla, passion fruit, and lemongrass.

Following the recent approval of Colombian Hass avocado imports into the US, peppers are considered the number one priority for Colombian exporters.

“The joint efforts of the two governments on Hass avocados represents a true milestone for our country, which will be repeated by securing access for other products in the most demanding markets,” Zuluaga said.

The inaugural consignment of 34 tonnes of Colombian Hass avocados arrived in the US earlier this month.