US APHIS reviews Argentina’s fruit pre-shipment export programs

Argentina’s National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service, Senasa, hosted representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to review pre-shipment programs for fresh fruit exports to the United States.

The visit included the presentation of Amanda Elkhateeb, the new APHIS director for South America pre-shipment programs. Senasa officials met with APHIS/USDA representatives, the U.S. Embassy in Argentina, COPEXEU, and the Fundación Barrera Patagónica.

Patagonia review

Elkhateeb visited Argentina’s North Patagonia region to review phytosanitary work in Río Negro and Neuquén, two key provinces for fresh fruit shipments to the U.S.

The agenda included visits to inspection rooms in Villa Regina and Centenario, approved packing facilities, the Regional Pest Laboratory and the phytosanitary safeguard area in Villa Regina. Senasa also presented details of the Fruit Fly Control and Eradication Program, known as Procem Patagonia, carried out in the region by Funbapa.

Export protocols

Argentina’s pre-shipment programs with the U.S. are based on cooperation between APHIS, Senasa and COPEXEU. They establish phytosanitary certification procedures at origin, including inspection protocols, documentation, packing facility conditions, cold chamber requirements and responsibilities for preventing quarantine pest risks.

The programs are designed to speed up import procedures in the U.S. and give greater predictability to Argentine fresh fruit exports.

Covered fruits

Argentina and the U.S. have worked under this system for nearly 40 years. The current programs cover fresh cherries, plums, peaches, apples and nectarines from fruit-fly-free areas, as well as fresh blueberries under quarantine treatments such as methyl bromide fumigation or cold treatment in transit.

2025 shipments

Senasa said the system mainly supports production in Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Neuquén and Río Negro. In the 2025 export season, Argentina shipped close to 57,000 tonnes under the programs, led by pears, cherries and apples.

source and photo: argentina.gob.ar