Uncertainty looms over Argentina’s fruit exports

The first meeting in Brasilia between the Argentine and Brazilian phytosanitary authorities, seeking to reopen Brazil’s borders to apples and pears from the Rio Negro Valley and Neuquen, ended without a resolution. According to Fresh Plaza, the discovery of Carpocapsa moths in imports of fruit cargo from these locations to Brazil, the fruit’s main destination, is putting US$150m worth of cargo at stake. Last year Brazil imported around 20,000 tons of apples and 100,000 tons of pears from these regions.

Argentina’s National Health and Agricultural Food Quality Service (Senasa) said the discussion in Brasilia was positive and the Brazilian authorities showed a strong interest in solving the problem.

DatamarNews reported that Brazil had intercepted nine Argentine fruit trucks due to the discovery of Carpocapsa moths in the cargo earlier this year. Brazil’s decision to shut down the Risk Mitigation System (SMR) last week (used to try and control the carpocapsa problem) has resulted in Brazil closing down its borders completely to the entry of pears, apples, and quinces from Argentina.

The following DataLiner graph shows Argentina’s apple and pear export trend to the world:

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