Brazil should facilitate entry of fresh grapes from Argentina

Argentina may have the entry of its grapes into Brazil soon easier. In August last year, the Argentine ambassador to Brazil, the National Institute of Viticulture, provincial governments, and ministers held a meeting to increase the export of wine products to Brazil. Thus an agreement arose that the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture auditors will travel to Argentina to audit the Risk Mitigation System proposed by SENASA, which meets a series of phytosanitary requirements required by Brazil.

The audit aims to ensure the absence of mites and the application of practices to prevent Lobesia Botswana. If successful, the treatment with methyl bromide will no longer be mandatory for shipping fresh grapes to Brazil - an expensive local production procedure. Currently, Brazil imports more than 14,500 tons of grapes per year, where Chile is the largest supplier, with 63% of the total. With the benefit of zero tariffs, Argentina expects to increase its participation, which currently stands at just over 20%.