Nov 21 2017  -  New Zealand hopes to be exporting fresh avocados to China soon after talks to meet regulatory requirements.   A protocol has been signed between the Ministry for Primary Industries and China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

AQSIQ will audit New Zealand's system for exporting avocados in mid-December.

New Zealand already exports fresh apples, kiwifruit, cherries, plums, citrus and persimmons to China and it's hoped a significant market can be built for avocados.

In the 2016/17 season, New Zealand produced a record 7.9 million trays of avocados worth more than $200 million.

About $155.5m worth of avocados were exported to markets such as Australia, Japan, Singapore, Korea and Thailand.

"China is very aware of the significant global increase in avocado consumption, the associated health benefits and the strong growth and huge potential in the avocado category," says New Zealand Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular.

| FreshPlaza  ||  November 20,  2017   |||