After several days of negotiations led by the Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG) and Frutas de Chile, the Chilean kiwifruit sector celebrates the approval of the "Pilot Plan for the Export of Kiwifruit to Mexico through the use of a Systems Approach".

A breakthrough in national fruit growing

"This is a management that has been developing since 2023 and we have been working to achieve this goal. The good results of other Systems Approach (a system that allows us to implement an inspection system at origin that is friendly to the environment and the fruit) that we have implemented in citrus, stone fruit and grapes, have allowed us to access the implementation of this system for our kiwis," said Marco Muñoz, head (s) of the Division of Agricultural Protection, Forestry and Seeds of the SAG.

Miguel Canala-Echeverría said: "First, we would like to thank the Mexican government authorities and SAG for all the work done over the years to initiate the first shipments of our fresh kiwifruit to Mexico through Systems Approach. Our kiwis, produced in different areas of the country, will be able to start implementing this system as of this April".

The representative of Frutas de Chile recalled that there is a long history of bilateral trade between Chile and Mexico, which was strengthened with the entry into force of the Free Trade Agreement in 1999, which was the second of its kind signed by Chile and the first signed by Mexico.

The industry of this super fruit highlighted the news that allows the delivery of an increasingly better kiwifruit to Mexican consumers.

The Chilean fruit export industry is currently carrying out two Systems Approach pilot programs for citrus and table grape shipments to the Mexican market, to which kiwifruit will now be added.

Bilateral trade

Trade between Chile and Mexico is around US$3.9 billion, which has remained stable over the last five years. While the trade balance shows a deficit of US$500 million for Chile, the forestry and livestock sector maintains a surplus of US$700 million.

In the case of fresh fruit, the main species exported by Chile to Mexico are: table grapes (36% of the total), kiwifruit (16%), nectarines (14%), peaches (13%), plums (9%) and apples (5%).

Read the original article on the Frutas de Chile website.