The National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service (Senasa) controls and certifies the cherry production process in the towns of Gaiman and Sarmiento, in Chubut and Los Antiguos, in Santa Cruz, verifying compliance with the more demanding requirements agreed with the export markets of this delicious fresh fruit.
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During 2022, fresh cherry shipments from Argentina to different destinations reached 4,278 tons, the main ones being the United States, China, and the United Kingdom.
Argentina maintains specific export certification agreements for fresh cherries with the United States, China and Canada. On November 30, the agreement between Senasa and its US counterpart was updated.
The cherry harvest and export season in this 2022-2023 harvest was limited between the months of December and January, beginning in the north of the province of Chubut, in Gaiman on November 30, continuing south, in the town de Sarmiento and concluding in the north of the province of Santa Cruz at the end of January.
Its distribution responds to the climatic characteristics of Patagonia. Harvest is later the colder the weather .
Prior to any agricultural activity, those who produce cherries must be registered in the National Sanitary Registry of Agricultural Producers (Renspa) while the packaging and cold rooms where this fruit is received must also be registered in the corresponding Senasa records.
Senasa's work, in relation to exports, begins months before the harvest, through the registration of those who produce cherries and the verification of packing and refrigerating sheds.
In this instance, compliance with national export regulations and phytosanitary requirements established in the specific export protocols of each country of destination is verified, including sampling and physical and documentary controls.
In the particular case of the United States, the prior authorization of packaging and cold rooms is carried out jointly between Senasa and the health authorities of that destination.
The tasks, carried out jointly by agents of Plant Protection and Food Safety and Quality of the Senasa Southern Patagonia Regional Center, include the inspection of the farms, of the fresh fruit processing establishments, of the refrigerated sheds and of each one of the items to be exported, concluding in the preparation of the supporting documentation of the verified and identified merchandise that is transferred to the point of exit from the country.
In addition, every year training is carried out for technical managers of the four export packages located in the cherry-producing localities, for monitors and for Senasa inspectors, so that all participants are trained and aware of everything pertaining to the process of production and export, so that the shipments to the different markets are successful.
Several of these trainings are given inter-institutionally, being able to participate depending on the subject to be discussed, in addition to Senasa, the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), and the Inspection Service of the country of destination of the cherry, such as Animal and Plant United States Health Inspection Service (APHIS). ■