A Uruguayan government representative has told website Elpais.com.uy the country's first citrus shipments to the U.S. are due for departure in the first half of October.

Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fishing (MGAP) citrus adviser Federico Montes said between four and five containers of Valencia oranges would be sent, weighing 100 metric tons (MT).

He said the maiden shipment would act as a "test bench" for future citrus sales in the U.S., which would predominantly be mandarins and other orange varieties.

The story reported a work plan prepared by Uruguay still needed approval from U.S. authorities.

"We expect that the corresponding authorization will come during the week. We have done everything within our reach to get Uruguay's proposal approved," Montes was quoted as saying.

"What could happen is that they make some observation, but that wouldn't represent a problem of magnitude or a time sensitive delay."

Urudor's Carlos Fraschini, who will soon become the president of the Uruguayan Union of Fruit Growers and Exporters (Upefruy), told the publication the industry continued to be in contact with logistics operators in the United States, with the first fruit set to arrive in Philadelphia.

He said United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Krysta Harden would be visiting Uruguay in mid-October to meet with citrus growers, the story reported.

www.freshfruitportal.com