China has given the green light for imports of Argentine lemons. Agriculture minister Luis Basterra and Li Guo, deputy minister of the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) signed the phytosanitary protocol in Buenos Aires this week, paving the way for exports after 15 years of negotiations.
Basterra said it was “an honour to sign this protocol with China for the export of lemons, an emblematic product of Argentina”.
Guo said China “is a strategic partner in trade” that was “willing to continue strengthening the bilateral relationship [with Argentina].
Argentina is the world’s fourth biggest producer of fresh lemons and leading producer of lemon derivatives. Last year it exported 250,000 tonnes of lemons, the bulk of which came from Tucumán.
“We welcome this opening with great joy, since China is the most important market in Asia,” said the secretary of development of Tucumán, álvaro Simón Pedro.
“The opening of markets is a very intelligent strategy that is being carried out by Governor Juan Manzur. There is a slogan that is to put the province on the world stage and that is what we are achieving.”
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