A delegation from the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service of the US Department of agriculture (APHIS, USDA), verified the control system in origin of the fruit in Argentina's Northwestern region, as part of the steps to allow lemon exports to the US market.
The delegation, which was accompanied by professionals from the National Food Health and Quality Service (Senasa), toured the provinces of Tucumán and Salta, where they visited production establishments and packaging facilities that had pre-registered to export, as well as the Obispo Colombres Agroindustrial Experimental Station (EEAOC).
The President of Senasa, Jorge Dillon, said that after the verification process, both parties had drafted a new work plan that would be officially forwarded to the APHIS for approval.
"We believe that that the visit of the APHIS and the verification of the work plan are the last steps required so that we can export lemons to the US market. Surely, we'll be able to do so next campaign," he said.
The director of phytosanitary certification of Senasa, Martin Delucis, said ... "the U.S. delegation had a very good impression of how Argentina has been implementing the management measures within the framework of the negotiations for the export of lemons from the Northwest of the country."
The opening of the US market to Argentine lemons is the result of more than 15 years of work carried out by Senasa in coordination with provincial governments, research institutions, and the private sector.
The final rule, authorising imports of lemons from this area, will be published in the Federal Register of the United States, only after the period of public consultation and the assessment of comments, (which are performed in parallel in North America by the APHIS/USDA) comes to an end.
The Vice President of Senasa, Guillermo Rossi, said that APHIS had expressed their willingness to make progress in the negotiations for the opening of the US market to sweet citrus.
Source: comuniicaciontucuman.gob.ar