Avocado: End of the Dispute Between Costa Rica and Mexico?

Authorities from both countries agreed that Costa Rica would accept avocado from Mexico, as long as it has a phytosanitary certificate indicating that the shipment is "symptom-free."

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

The State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) of Costa Rica, managed to agree in December 2018 with the new Mexican authorities, the procedure to end almost four years of trade conflict, which emerged from the barriers imposed on the entry of avocado to the Costa Rican market.

See "Mexican Avocado Dispute Increases"

Elfinancierocr.com reviews that "... The technical agreement contemplates the participation of representatives of the National Service of Health, Safety and Agrifood Quality (Senasica) in taking samples, which will be validated by both countries with IICA and OIRSA as observers. At the end of the process and maintaining the "Absent" status of the disease, the phytosanitary measures of Costa Rica would prevail, and Mexico could reactivate trade."

The article adds that "... Otherwise, Costa Rica would accept the Mexican avocado as long as it has the phytosanitary certificate indicating that it is a shipment free of symptoms, according to Fernando Araya, director of the SFE."

Also see "Avocado Conflict: Panel of Arbitrators is Formed"

With the agreement achieved, the composition of a panel of arbitrators at the World Trade Organization (WTO), which had been announced in December last year, is postponed.

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More on this topic

Avocado: Costa Rica-Mexico Conflict Resolution Delayed

February 2019

Mexico asks to inspect Costa Rican farms to determine if it is true that the sustain is not in the crops, to which local producers oppose.

In December 2018, the phytosanitary and livestock authorities of Costa Rica and Mexico agreed on a procedure to end almost four years of trade conflict, which arose from the barriers imposed on the entry of avocado to the Costa Rican market.

Avocado Conflict: Panel of Arbitrators is Formed

December 2018

The WTO was part of the panel of experts that will resolve Mexico's lawsuit against Costa Rica, arising from the barriers imposed by the Costa Rican authorities to import the fruit.

The trade conflict emerged because of the barriers that Costa Rica imposes since 2014 to the entry of avocado from Mexico.

Mexican Avocado Dispute Increases

November 2018

Because of the problem of the barriers that Costa Rica has imposed since 2014 to the entry of avocado from Mexico remains unsolved, the Mexican authorities asked the WTO to refer the case to an arbitration panel.

The blockade of the Mexican avocado does not end. The Ministry of Foreign Trade (Comex) reported that Mexico requested the WTO to establish a panel of arbitrators to solve the dispute.

Costa Rica: Conditions to Import Mexican Avocados

November 2017

Hass avocados from Mexico can be imported in containers, provided that they come certified as fruit containers that are free from the sunspot disease or from areas certified as free.

The proposal put forward by the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) to the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures at the WTO, where the conflict between Costa Rica and Mexico is being resolved, establishes that the fruit may be imported in any of three circumstances: the fruit is sent with a certificate that guarantees that it does not have sunspot, with a certificate that comes from areas free of the disease, or where there is compliance with rules agreed bilaterally by the two countries.

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