South African officials have granted market access to avocados from Tanzania, ending a 10-year stalemate on the issue. Tanzanian growers produce their avocado during the South African off-season, when prices in the local market are extremely high. During this period the local trade normally imports fruit to supplement the local supply.
Acting director of the South African Plant Health, Jan Hendrik Venter, stated the decision has been reached after a successful virtual bilateral engagement. His statement reads: “On November 9, 2021, the National Plant Protection Organization of Tanzania (NPPO) provided a pre-recorded video presentation to the National Plant Protection Organisation of South Africa (NPPOZA) to verify and pre-test pest risk management practices in order to allow authorisation of avocados from Tanzania to South Africa.”
Source: thecitizen.co.tz