Cranberries and cherries from Chile prepare to enter Korea

09/09/2016

According to information provided by the general manager of Asoex, Miguel Canala-Echeverría, the inspector of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency of South Korea (QIA, its acronym in English), YoungSoub Choi, is in Chile for the purpose of to review compliance with the measures established by that Asian country, to avoid potential phytosanitary risks derived from imports.

«The visit is part of the protocol established with Korea for the export of blueberries and cherries. In this sense, a QIA inspector travels to Chile to inspect at origin compliance with the established measures, and once he certifies compliance in this regard, exports of Chilean fruits can begin, which in this case corresponds to cherries. and blueberries»commented the general manager of Asoex.

Canala-Echeverría added: «This season, due to an advance in harvests, which in the case of blueberries is a few weeks, the inspection process was brought forward in relation to previous seasons. Therefore, the inspector's visit has been coordinated with the SAG and QIA in advance, since, in addition, there is interest on the part of Chilean exporters to begin shipments as soon as possible..

Also, the professional commented that during the 2015-2016 season (1 of September 2015 to 31 of August of 2016), Chile exported to the Asian market more than 8.000 tons of fresh blueberries and more than 72.000 tons of fresh cherries.

«Within the Asian market, Korea is in third place as a destination for Chilean blueberries, and in seventh position as a destination for our cherries», said the representative of Asoex.

Inspection

The inspector arrived in Chile on Sunday 4 in September, starting on Monday with a meeting at the headquarters of the Agricultural and Livestock Service in Santiago. The Official Control Program established in the Metropolitan Region was explained to him, as well as the National Control Program Lobesia botrana.

On Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 of September, the inspector visited cranberry and cherry orchards in the Metropolitan and Valparaíso regions.

Source: Asoex.cl