Market access secured for three more years after officials from Asian country completed new round of inspections
Kiwifruit suppliers in Italy can continue to send their fruit to South Korea for the next three seasons, after officials from the Asian country carried out a series of triennial inspections of export facilities.
Italy’s kiwifruit exporters first gained access to South Korea in April 2012, following seven years of negotiations to overcome phytosanitary restrictions, and the first commercial shipments followed in January 2013.
Coordinated with support from trade association CSO Italy, the most recent inspections took place in the first week of November at companies and production centres in Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna.
These included Brero F.lli in Fossano and Perugini Frutta in Cesena. Regional phytosanitary services, as well as government officials based in Rome, were also involved.
Source: CSO Italy
Technical focus
According to CSO, visiting inspectors paid particular attention to traceability systems, cold treatments, phytosanitary monitoring in orchards, and inspection of packaged products.
“The authorisation to begin exports, which arrived just a few days after the inspection, confirms the positive outcome of the checks and represents a highly satisfying result for the entire Italian kiwifruit supply chain,” commented Simona Rubbi, head of legislation and certifications at CSO Italy. “It is a recognition of the quality of the work carried out and the effective collaboration between companies, technicians, and phytosanitary authorities.”
She continued: “Special thanks go to Brero F.lli and Perugini Frutta, the Phytosanitary Services of Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna, and the Central Phytosanitary Service of Masaf for their availability, professionalism, and preparation demonstrated throughout all phases of the visit.”
The authorisation applies to all companies registered for the 2026/27 marketing year, she added, meaning those firms can immediately begin shipments.
“This result confirms how crucial synergy between institutions and companies is to supporting the internationalization of the Italian fruit and vegetable sector and strengthening its presence on foreign markets.”
