These are FreshFruitPortal.com's top seven stories of the week.

Chile will be able to export table grapes to the U.S. with Systems Approach

After 20 years of bilateral work, Chile will be implementing the Systems Approach for the exports of table grapes from the regions of Atacama, Coquimbo, and Valparaíso, to the United States.

The first grapes exported under the System Approach are expected to reach the U.S. this year, November. Chile's Fruit Association reported that the achievement is a "significant step forward for the table grape industry." 

Sonoran table grape estimate revised down

In recent weeks, several industry media reported that the Mexican region of Sonora would have a “record” table grape production this year. However, this has not been the case.

FreshFruitPortal.com spoke with Sergio Rene Lugo, director of Mexico Table Grapes, of the Association of Table Grape Producers of Sonora-Mexico, to clarify the campaign’s projections.

Port of Chancay: Progress of Peru's mega port

The inauguration of Peru's "mega-port" is scheduled for November. Work at the Port of Chancay, an investment of the Chinese shipping company Cosco Shipping, is advancing to meet the agreed dates, and a few days ago, the first 5 electric cranes arrived.

With the arrival of the equipment, the Port of Chancay marks a milestone with the introduction of automated and electric yard cranes, which are part of a total set of 27 cranes.

California Avocado Commission asks USDA to inspect all Mexican Hass avocados

The California Avocado Commission called for the continuation of the current U.S./Mexico Operational Work Plan (OWP) to avoid the introduction of invasive pests to the U.S.

The association requests that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and APHIS provide direct inspection of all harvesting and packing of Hass avocados exported to the United States to maintain the integrity of the critical avocado inspection program in Mexico.

Tight California avocado supply as growers rush to pick more fruit

After the USDA halted new avocado and mango exports out of Michoacán at the beginning of June, there was concern about how this would affect supply in the U.S. market. 

However, Terry Splane, vice president of marketing for the California Avocado Commission (CAC), told FreshFruitPortal.com that when the temporary halt on avocado inspections in Michoacán was announced there were still avocados in the supply pipeline that could reach the United States, so there wasn’t an immediate impact.

Chilean Blueberry Committee introduces new president

Chile's fruit association Frutas de Chile (formerly ASOEX) recently confirmed the election of Ruy Barbosa as the new president of the Chilean Blueberry Committee.

"It is a great pride and a tremendous challenge to continue as president of the Chilean Blueberry Committee," Barbosa said upon being elected.

Spain responds to South African call for panel review of EU measures on citrus imports

The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced that South Africa has requested the establishment of two dispute settlement panels to examine European Union measures affecting the importation of citrus from South Africa into the EU. The request was considered at a meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) on June 24.

This is the first time South Africa has requested the establishment of a panel under the WTO dispute settlement system.