China customs gives green light to fresh Serbian apples

After six years of negotiations, Serbia and China recently signed a protocol regarding phytosanitary requirements for Serbian apples. On Oct. 26, the General Administration of Customs of China issued an announcement via its website stating that fresh Serbian apples meeting the stipulated phytosanitary requirements would be permissible for import. Serbia produces an estimated 550,000 metric tons of apples and pears per year, with annual exports exceeding 190,000 metric tons. A decade ago, Serbian apple farmers primarily catered to the specific varieties demanded by the Russian market. However, as Serbia started to explore additional markets in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East, growers began to cultivate varieties more aligned with the preferences of these diverse markets. After securing access to the Chinese market, Gojko Zagorac, president of Serbia Does Apples, a non-governmental association of apple producers and exporters, said that the inaugural shipment of apples to ...