MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pork for apples opens the way to normalize frozen Argentine/Brazilian trade

Rio Negro Minister of Production Pichetto said apples and pears had been cleared

After two months of waiting, Brazil authorized the entry of apples from Argentina’s Alto Valle of Rio Negro and Neuquen. The news, which brings relief to local exporters, came after Argentina reopened its market to pork from Brazil.

A measure that was taken as a good gesture in the midst of a commercial tug of war with non-automatic licensing applications involved between the two major partners of Mercosur.

Rio Negro province Minister of Production Juan Manuel Pichetto, said he was notified by Buenos Aires of the release of the licensing system for pears and apples, with which it is expected for exports to normalize again. He said that at least three trucks were able to cross the border.

For his part, the Secretary of Fruit in Rio Negro, Oscar Rolo said that “this fact already helps brings apple and pear exports back to normal, and brings relief to our producers and exporters.”

“The appointed Argentine commercial attaché in negotiations with Brazil was the one who reported the breakthrough in licensing systems for apples and pears,” said Rolo, but noted that a discussion is still pending on sanitary issues, which could also be resolved in the coming hours.

For his part, the Production Undersecretary of Neuquen, Javier Van Houtte, said, that, “when Argentina gave way to the import of pork that was the key to unlock the conflict”. He said the measure is positive because it “unzipped“ the situation, but said the fruit undergoes a structural problem that has not been resolved and which must be addressed in the short term by shared efforts.

Cervi was one of the companies authorized to send a truck to Brazil. ”A license was issued and shortly we will be sending apples,“ said producer Paul Cervi. He said two months ago they were not giving any authorizations for that species or accepting phytosanitary permits from the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil, another commercial obstacle placed by the neighbouring country to counter the automatic licensing system set up by Argentina. ”It's been two months since any truck passed,“ said the producer, highlighting the relief felt on this measure.

Argentine Chamber of Integrated Fruit Exporters, CAFI manager Marcelo Loyarte, said that ”it is undoubtedly a good thing when you consider what we had to suffer two months ago but still we are waiting for the 12th Resolution to be revoked which came from Brazil and that jeopardizes the sanitary issue of pears and apples from the area.“

From CAFI it was recalled that ”for two months no truck could get into Brazil because they were not granted the licenses for the entry of apples.“ Meanwhile, he explained that in regards to pears, some licenses for export were given but the outputs were extremely slow due to the additional controls that the product had to go through.”