Sábado 14 de Septiembre 2024
MÉXICO

Mexico and the U.S. Advance in Export Agreements for Plant-Based Products

The goal is to maintain a stable and secure supply of plant-based foods and to support producers in the southern and southeastern regions of the country

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The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is making progress in negotiations with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to allow Mexican producers of mango, mamey, sapodilla, Mexican plum, soursop, black fig, and potato to export to that market.

In a virtual meeting, officials from the National Service of Health, Safety, and Agro-Food Quality and the Ministry of Agriculture, along with the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), reaffirmed both nations' interest in strengthening efforts to intensify the safe agro-food product trade for consumers in both countries. The sanitary agencies of both countries emphasized the importance of working together to offer the population foods that meet phytosanitary requirements and jointly promote the safe trade of agro-food products.

This is intended to mitigate the circulation, introduction, spread, and establishment of quarantine pests associated with the import and export of plant-based products and by-products; facilitate trade; and safeguard the phytosanitary conditions of both countries.

The Ministry of Agriculture highlighted the Mexican Government's interest in implementing measures and strategies to enhance the technical capabilities and competitiveness of small and medium-sized Mexican producers, enabling them to access export markets. It specified that the impact of these measures promotes commercial development and infrastructure in rural areas, creates growth conditions, and strengthens the objectives of the sanitary agendas between both agencies.

Mexico proposed the possibility of Senasica's technical personnel conducting pre-inspections for the export of mango and avocado to the U.S., considering that Mexico maintains reliable field strategies involving specialized personnel authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture, allowing effective pest management.

Senasica runs phytosanitary campaigns that strengthen export programs without verification, as seen with hydrothermally treated mangoes to countries in the European Union, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Furthermore, the importance of promoting the export of fruits such as soursop, mamey, Mexican plum, and sapodilla with irradiation treatment was emphasized to reduce the risk of transporting pests. There is consideration of installing an irradiation plant in southern Chiapas to serve producers in the southern region of the country.

This aligns with the Mexican Government's strategies to strengthen small and medium-sized producers in the southern and southeastern parts of the country, helping them place their products in more profitable markets and thus improving their quality of life.

The U.S. organization emphasized the importance of coordinated actions between both agencies for the treatment and certification of products. They highlighted Senasica's commitment to maintaining the phytosanitary quality of national goods, which has been fundamental in positioning them in the international market.

With these advances, the Mexican Government strengthens its relationship with the United States to maintain a stable and secure supply of plant-based foods.

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