A few final protocols concerning shipping and postharvest treatment need to be finalised before South African avocados can make their official way to China.
“Obtaining access to China is only the start. We’re excited by this breakthrough and the opportunity to develop the Chinese market into a preferred market for our fruit,” says Edrean Ernst, chairperson of the South African Avocado Growers’ Association.
“My expectation is that South African avocado marketers who still have fruit over the next few months, will send a trial consignment or two this season.”
Edrean explains that there are certain considerations that make sending avocados to China somewhat different to trading with the European Union, South Africa’s dominant avocado buyer.
“The protocol specifies a methyl bromide fumigation of the fruit before shipping. This will probably be done by certified contractors in the packhouses. The avocado industry in South Africa doesn’t currently fumigate the fruit and therefore the infrastructure and protocols for this process will have to be put in place.”
He notes that the fumigation process is not without risks, such as potential burning of the peel.
“As I understand it shipping options are currently limited to cooled breakbulk containers, while as an industry we’re only using reefer containers. So here, too, new protocols will need to be created for avocados, which are a highly perishable product.”
He expects that it will be a while before China takes the amount of avocados that the European Union takes from South Africa.
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