What seemed like a dream for the Chilean table grape industry came true after 24 years of negotiations: the fruit arrived in the United States under the Systems Approach. This protocol replaces methyl bromide fumigation with a series of mitigation measures at the origin, improving the quality and condition of the fruit in the destination market.
It is important to note that the table grapes -in this case from the Chilean exporter Subsole- arrived at the Port of Philadelphia on the east coast of the United States.
In this regard, the Agricultural Attaché of the Chilean Embassy in the United States, Andrés Rodríguez, received the shipment with importers and representatives of the Chile-Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. “It is a great milestone after 24 years of negotiations that culminate successfully,” he told Freshfruitportal.com.
He emphasized that “this is a long-awaited moment for Chile and the United States.”
In this regard, Rodriguez specified that the port area of Greater Philadelphia is the most relevant in the entry of Chilean fruit to the United States.
In his opinion, the arrival of fruit to the U.S. market under this protocol is the result of a tremendous public-private effort, “not only in Chile, with unions, producers, and exporters, but also in the United States, where importers, ports, chambers, and associations were fundamental in this achievement.”
Asked about the fruit, he said that it arrived in excellent condition. “Importers were very pleased and enthusiastic about this first arrival of Chilean grapes under the Systems Approach.”
He concluded, "We believe this will be a great season for Chilean table grapes.”
The importer of the grapes was Dayka & Hackett, its Vice President of International Development, Tony Calvillo, expressed his satisfaction with the first arrival, assuring that “we hope that the volume will start to increase year by year.”
He reiterated that “the fruit arrived in very good condition and is being distributed to several customers. They are very anxious to receive fruit that does not have to undergo the fumigation process.
As for the fruit's long-term expectations, he explained that the fumigation, which has already been removed thanks to the Systems Approach, exposes the fruit to conditions that are not good for it.
“The fumigation temperature is not ideal for the fruit, and the damage it absorbs from the fumigation is not good either,” Calvillo said. “We are going to see a quality difference in the fruit, so it will last longer and arrive with better quality and condition.”
He also added that due to global competition, with new varieties of great flavor and size, the Systems Approach will help Chilean growers be more competitive and U.S. supermarkets offer better fruit to consumers.
