Argentina: diversification of export destinations becomes the objective

Argentinian exports register volume declines to certain destinations. A group of fruit growers from Río Negro and Neuquén, is looking for other international markets less demanding than the Brazilian and Chinese markets.

 

José Esparza, the supervisor of fresh fruit export programs at the North Patagonia Regional Center of Senasa, said that "these are producers who adhere to other work plans and send the fruit to other markets", stressing the stringent sanitary conditions which are difficult to comply with "for example, the mere fact of having Carpocapsa plague is an obstacle to exporting to China".

 

In the latest monthly statistical report, it is reported that in 2020, between Río Negro and Neuquén, they produced 566,671 tons of pears, of which 299,767 tons (52.9%) were exported. The main destinations for pear exports were Russia (82,661 tonnes), Brazil (82,135), the United States (38,294) and Italy (25,207). Only 6 of the 21 international markets that buy these pears recorded negative dynamics last year, Germany, the United States, Paraguay, China, Indonesia and Algeria.

 

Regarding apples, it was reported that last year 486,679 tons of product were produced, of which 84,028 tons (17.3%) were exported, 25,364 tons of apples were exported to the Brazil, 10,447 tonnes to Russia and 10,228 to Bolivia. In this case, 10 out of 21 destinations record a negative export dynamic and the rest with a positive variation: Brazil, Ecuador, France, Spain, Bolivia, Libya and Paraguay.

 

Since August, the inspection work has been carried out with the preventive health objectives planned to fight COVID-19. Senasa said that the registration period for packing establishments and storage sites that will allocate fresh fruit to the domestic and export market is open. Registration is mandatory and this year includes inspection and submission of relevant documentation “during the packaging process” Senasa has launched a trade register for producers who pack in the field. The official register will guarantee the possibility of selling the production obtained by small producers who do not have a packaging plant.