The government of South Africa has granted market access to avocado produced in Tanzania. This marks an end to a 10 years of a standoff over the matter.
Acting director of the South African Plant Health Jan Hendrik Venter said the decision has been reached after a successful virtual bilateral engagement.
Tanzanian growers produce their avocado during the South African off-season when prices in the local market are extremely high. During this period the local trade normally imports fruit to supplement the local supply.
“The National Plant Protection Organization of Tanzania (NPPO) provided a pre-recorded video presentation to the National Plant Protection Organisation of South Africa (NPPOZA) to verify and pre-test pest risk management practices in order to allow authorisation of avocados from Tanzania to South Africa,” reads the statement from the letter.
Market access
“The NPPOZA wishes to inform the NPPO of Tanzania that following the presentation of a pre-recorded video inspection and subsequent deliberation during the virtual verification process, the market access for importation of avocado fresh fruit from Tanzania to South Africa has been granted,” added the statement
Market access has been granted subject to the NPPO of Tanzania providing a list/database of the registered facilities as per paragraph 2.3 of the phytosanitary import requirements. The market access of Tanzania avocados remained restricted despite application submitted to the NPPOZA in 2011 over phytosanitary certifications.
In February 3.514 tonnes of avocados that was transported to South Africa by Tanzania’s Kuza Africa Company was confiscated at the Beit Bridge Border post. The fruit was seized and destroyed by officials from South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), reportedly because no phytosanitary documents accompanied the consignment.
The chairman of the South African Avocado Growers’ Association (SAAGA) Clive Garrett, said the protocol for the importation of Tanzanian avocados into South Africa had not yet been finalised.
“It is absolutely important that we protect our local industry and we have consistently supported the development and implementation of these protocols between South Africa and Tanzania,” he outlined.
