The Agricultural Defense Secretariat of Brazil has implemented phytosanitary requirements for importing strawberry seedlings from Egypt. The ordinance, published in the Official Gazette, facilitates the entry of Egyptian strawberry plants into the Brazilian market.
According to the ordinance, strawberry seedlings must be certified free from pests such as Naphothrips obscurus, Eutetranychus orientalis, and others, as verified by laboratory results. The seedlings are also subject to inspection upon entry into Brazil, with sample collection for phytosanitary analysis in accredited labs. The exporting party bears the costs associated with these procedures.
The document states, "In the event of interception of a quarantine pest or a pest that poses quarantine potential for Brazil, the shipment will be destroyed or rejected, and the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Egypt will be notified. The National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Brazil may suspend strawberry plant imports until the corresponding Pest Risk Analysis is reviewed."
Strawberry plant imports fall under the Mercosur Common Nomenclature (NCM) chapter on trees, shrubs, and bushes, with a 2% import duty as per the Egypt-Mercosur free trade agreement.
Brazil's Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services reported that last year Brazil imported USD 1.045 million worth of strawberry products from Spain and Chile. Meanwhile, the import of frozen strawberries from Egypt amounted to USD 25.07 million, a substantial increase from USD 12.2 million in 2023.
Source: ANBA