Establishing areas free of the sunblotch pest and certify them according to international standards is what Mexico has proposed in order to sell avocados to Costa Rica once again.
The proposal submitted by Mexico to the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica and the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) includes the establishment of certain areas of fruit cultivation which are certified to be free of the pest.
Guatemala and Mexico have joined forces in their complaints to the WTO over restrictions on the importation of Hass Avocados.
The concerns of these two countries were presented at the monthly meeting of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures of the World Trade Organization, where Guatemala and Mexico also expressed concern about the trade impact of the measure imposed by Costa Rica.
According to the food industry chamber, the import ban on certain food products "does not conform to principles of reasonableness, technical criteria and political neutrality."
In a new attempt to reason with the authorities of the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Phytosanitary Service, the Costa Rican Chamber of the Food Industry (Cacia) asked President Solis to intervene to lift obstacles that have been imposed on the import of raw materials such as "... honey, potatoes, some varieties of spices, pork, fish, green bananas and jalapenos ..." as they are having problems entering the country.
Non-tariff restrictions applied by the Ministry of Agriculture put into practice its ultra protectionist philosophy, contradicting what the Ministry of Foreign Trade is doing, generating shortages and distorting the market.
An article in Nacion.com reports on how the Minister of Foreign Trade (Comex), Alexander Mora, "... criticized the lack of advanced warning from partner countries of Costa Rica, regarding recent sanitation blockages that prevent products being imported in those markets. "
From Mexico, where the sunblotch disease has been present for 100 years, Costa Rica imports 80% of the avocados it consumes, but has now banned imports, citing contamination risk.
An article on Elfinancierocr.com reports that the Mexican phytosanitary authorities questioned "... the basis of the decision made by the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) in Costa Rica to stop importing avocados from Mexico and seven more markets. " ... "Mexicans indicated that" ... in analyzing the arrangement to stop the importation of Mexican avocados there is a lack of "scientific evidence that justifies the decision of the SFE".
The phytosanitary measures implemented by the European Union have been in force since May and aim to prevent the entry of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa.
The rule applies to ornamental coffee plants (not seeds) of the coffee variety and applies to the 28 countries comprising the European Union. The Chamber of Plants, Flowers and Foliage in Costa Rica clarified that the prohibition does not apply to foliage, which can still be exported.
Warnings are being given of shortages in the market, after the Phytosanitary Service banned the import of the fruit from nine markets.
According to the director of the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE), at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), the decision to ban imports of avocados from Australia, Spain, Ghana, Guatemala, Israel, Mexico, South Africa, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Florida, in the US, was taken to prevent the entry of the virus known as Sun Blotch, present in these markets. The Chamber of Importers of Perishables Products ensures that there will be a shortage because "... only 20% of total consumption (14,000 tonnes) are harvested in Costa Rica."
The Government is analysing whether to declare a shortage of beans and authorize the entry, of zero tariff grain from countries outside of Central America.
A study which quantifies purchase inventories that industrialists have made to local producers, will be used as a basis for the National Production Council (CNP) to determine the amount and type of grain to be imported and recommend to the institutions responsible whether they should declare a shortage. Once the declaration has been made and in accordance with the Act 8763, there would be no tariffs applied on the import of beans from countries outside of Central America with countries which have international treaties that are in force.
Costa Rican importers are demanding solutions after health checks prevented the entry of 20 thousand kilos of Nicaraguan red beans because they contained traces of soil.
The Nicaraguan union is complaining that the Costa Rican State Phytosanitary Service banned the entry of about 20 trucks carrying red beans after finding traces of dirt and sticks in the shipments.
Agencies in charge of the certification of organic products for export must meet new regulations set by the European Union.
From a press release by the State Phytosanitary Service:
In 2014 new regulations will govern EU organic products.
The MAG will support certification agencies and producers in complying with new requirements.
From January 2014 Certifying Agencies for organic products and the Phytosanitary Service (SFE by its initials in Spanish) at the Ministry of Agriculture will have to comply with the new rules established by the European Union with the objective of ensuring in more detail the implementation of the requirements that define a product as an organic vegetable.
In Costa Rica there has been an increase in the incidence Diaspis boisduvalii and Pseudococcus elisae mealybug in crops on the Atlantic slope.
From a press release by the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE):
The State Phytosanitary Service of the Ministry of Agriculture has declared a national emergency for the term of one year, due to increasing populations with the Diaspis boisduvalii and Pseudococcus elisae mealybug which are causing severe damage to banana crops. It is estimated that the impact has affected about 24 thousand hectares, according to data provided by CORBANA and the National Commission of Musaceae.
Costa Rica is not allowing the entry of potatoes from the U.S. and customs in Miami have increased controls on ornamental plants coming from Costa Rica.
It has been assumed that the increased controls on ornamental plants occurred after the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) of Costa Rica suspended the issuance of phytosanitary requirement forms for importing U.S. potatoes.
Over the last four years only two agrochemical formula applications have been processed while another 169 are waiting for approval.
It is hoped that this week the Government will present its position on a proposal put forward by various sectors to revive the registration of pesticides in the country, where in four years only two formulas have been registered and some 169 are waiting to receive approval.
Costa Rica and Canada have recognized the equivalence of regulations governing the accreditation and certification of organic agricultural products in both countries.
This agreement "... allows free passage for Costa Rican exporters, dedicated to this subsector, to export to the U.S. market," noted an article in Elfinancierocr.com.
Rice, bananas, banana purée, cocoa, coffee, sugarcane, blackberries, oranges, noni, pineapples, aloe, legumes, vegetables, fruits and spices are some of the organic products that can enter the Canadian market.
In the last 22 years 10,600 hectares of GM crops have been cultivated for biotech research purposes or for seed production.
In Costa Rica genetically modified crops have been planted since 1991, when the national company Los Gansos S. A. applied for permits to import and plant genetically modified soy.
Despite the heated controversy caused by the acquisition of a license by the company DPL seeds to plant 0.9 hectares of GM maize, the story of these crops is not a new issue in the country. An article in Nacion.com reports that "it began 22 years ago and since then 68 licenses have been granted, both for research and for the development of seeds."