Ecuador Demands Resolution Over Peruvian Market Closure for Pitahaya Shipments

(Agraria.pe) Ecuador's agricultural health service, Agrocalidad, informed this Tuesday that it was notified by Senasa Peru regarding the temporary closure of that market for pitahaya imports. "According to the statement, the measure responds to the finding of non-permitted agrochemicals in a pitahaya lot. We consider this an irregular process for not being aligned with international standards, nor having fulfilled all instances," Agrocalidad claimed. Alex Bustos Guerra, president of Green Control LA, pointed out that the chemical residues found would correspond to chlorpirifoz, an organophosphate insecticide whose use is prohibited in Peru. "This country (Peru) is the destination for 38% of the fruit's export volume. Ecuador, as a retorsion measure, closes its market to several Peruvian products," he added. The Ecuadorian health agency also indicated that in this scenario it has arranged various actions such as identifying the origin of the findings, strengthening the application ...