China authorizes import of melon from Brazil

The General Customs Administration of China (GACC, the body responsible for plant and animal health) published a statement on its official page this Thursday (22) authorizing the import of melon from Brazil. In November, Brazil closed a deal with China to facilitate the export of melons. The agreement is symbolic as it is the first understanding on fruits with the Asian country.

The Brazilian government has not yet been officially notified, but the measure came into force today.

China will still publish the list of farms and packaging structures for export (packing houses) certified for sale on the country's market.

GACC technicians inspected melon-producing farms in Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará, between January 12th and 17th, 2020. The states are the largest producers of the fruit.

The purpose of the visit was to check plantations in fruit fly-free areas in the states. The technicians were accompanied by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), the Agricultural Defense Agency of the State of Ceará (Adagri) and the Institute of Agricultural Defense and Inspection of Rio Grande do Norte.

China is the largest consumer market for melons in the world - it consumes around half of world production, equivalent to 17 million tons in 2017. If Brazil conquers 1% of the Chinese market, the volume of fruit exports should double.

In 2018, Brazil exported around 200 thousand tons of melon to several countries, such as the United States, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Russia and the European Union. The Brazilian harvest coincides with the off-season in China.