A Chilean avocado representative body has said it is confident of winning its appeal against the court decision not to ban Peruvian imports of the crop. 

The Santiago Court of Appeals rejected the request by indigenous communities and growers associations to overturn the national Agriculture and Livestock Service's (SAG) decision to allow the avocados to enter the country.

The indigenous communities made the appeal to halt the spread of the PSTVd virus, while the associations were more worried about the sunblotch viroid disease affecting their crops.

The court decision stated that SAG had taken all necessary measures to prevent the entry of pests and diseases.

Chilean Hass Avocado Committee president Gonzalo Bulnes told www.freshfruitportal.com he was disappointed in the ruling, adding it did not consider several key elements.

"They say they have been importing avocados since 2006 and nothing has happened, but it did not take the volumes into account or where the shipments entered the country, which is essential," Bulnes said.

"If the vast majority of avocados - as we have seen in the past - are coming in from the north, places like Arica, Iquique and Antofagasta, where we have a desert in between, of course they're not going to cause any damage.

"It's very different if they comes in bulk through the central area where the avocado plantations are. Yes, there is a risk and that's what we're complaining about.

"Of course we will appeal, for which there is a period of 10 days. We are convinced that the Supreme Court will overturn the decision because the Court of Appeals carries very little weight."

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