The Argentine citrus industry is celebrating the re-entry of citrus products to the EU, after over two decades of halted exports due to the commonwealth’s restrictions.

The re-entry was led by Argentina’s Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, aided by the certification obtained by the National Agri-Food Health Service (Senasa).

“After many years, the reopening of this important market was achieved and now we have to continue boosting exports, because they are a source of foreign exchange, employment and roots for all the Argentine interior," says Agriculture Minister Juan José Bahillo.

"The entry occurs after achieving the authorization of the EU to restart the import of organic citrus after two decades without allowing it, as a result of the work being done from different areas of the agency in the framework of the equivalence in force with the Community bloc,” adds Senasa President Diana Guillén.

"Argentina industrializes 4,078,551 pounds of citrus, which is the estimate of the total production of the year 2023, then the value of the business is given mainly by the value of industrial derivatives, " says Argentine Citrus Federation (Federcitrus) President José Carbonell.

Related articles: Argentina to start exports of fresh plums to Brazil

Carbonell states that this year's production has been 10% lower than last year, basically due to weather conditions. There have been no problems regarding fruit size, however, the campaign started  a month late, he says.

Regarding the agronomic management to be carried out by growers, Carbonell adds that growers are starting the annual fertilization process and have begun the process of fungus and insect control.

"Our production is mostly destined for industrialized products, where they are extremely restrictive with the possibilities of using agrochemicals, so our lemon is quite similar to the organic lemon. We use neither toxic insecticides nor fungicides," Carbonell assures.