Executives representing major avocado companies in the United States and South Africa announced during the Fruit Logistica in Berlin the establishment of the U.S.-South Africa Avocado Committee (USSAAC).  

The committee’s primary purposes are to work with the African Growth and Opportunity Act and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to obtain the necessary approvals to allow for the importation of avocados from South Africa into the U.S.

This landmark committee comprises top U.S. and South Africa avocado grower, packer, exporter and importer companies.

The binational co-chairs of the committee are Zac Bard of  Westfalia in South Africa and Jim Donovan of California-based Mission Produce.

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) and its South African counterpart, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) are in the process of developing a Pest Risk Assessment.

The committee’s first order of business will be to support the development of such Pest Risk Assessment for the U.S. importation of South Africa Hass avocados.

"The USSAAC binational committee is the first U.S.-South Africa agricultural committee," South Africa co-chair Zac Bard said.

"It is also the first binational agricultural committee between the U.S. and Africa. Such a committee signals an exciting new era of innovation and partnership in bringing high quality South African avocados to the U.S."

"The USSAAC could potentially pave the way for other countries in Africa, such as Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, to enter the U.S. market in the future."

U.S. co-chair Jim Donovan said the global demand for avocados was increasing every year, especially in the U.S.

"Once all approvals are secured, the U.S. could see the first shipment of avocados from South Africa in the near future," Donovan said.

The USSAAC will hold its next 2015 meetings in September during the VIII World Avocado Congress in Lima, Peru and in October during the Produce Marketing Association’s annual Fresh Summit in Atlanta, Georgia.

South African members include:

Mark Baker, H.L. Halls & Sons, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Zac Bard, Westfalia, Johannesburg, South Africa
Trevor Dukes, Univeg, Tzaneen, Limpopo, South Africa
Clive Garrett, ZZ2, Mooketsi, Limpopo, South Africa
Wiedse Kruger, Afrupro, Tzaneen, Limpopo, South Africa

U.S. members include:

Matthew Clark, Eco Farms Avocados, Temecula, CA
Jim Donovan, Mission Produce, Oxnard, CA
Bruce Dowhan, Giumarra, Escondido, CA
Reuben Hofshi, Del Rey Avocados, Fallbrook, CA
Rankin McDaniel, McDaniel Fruit Company, Fallbrook, CA
Kellen Newhouse, WestPak Avocado, Murrieta, CA
Dana Thomas, Index Fresh, Riverside, CA

Photo: www.shutterstock.com

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