Hopes are high for Peruvian avocado farmers following recent comments made by Japanese Ambassador Tatsuya Kabutan to an industry group, claiming his country was "about to lift phytosanitary barriers" for the booming crop.

Peruvian Hass Avocado Growers Association (ProHass) general manager Arturo Medina told www.freshfruitportal.com it was expected the deal would be sealed in the coming weeks, with the first shipments to be sent in mid-2015.

"We are waiting on the opening. We are expectant, but what happens is that Japan has to have public consultation before approving the entry of a product. So we are in this process," Medina said.

"We are very excited by the opening of this market because it is a really important market, above all as we know Japanese people are accustomed to eating healthy products."

He believed that due to these habits, there would be no problem for Japanese consumers to incorporate Peruvian fruit into their diets.

"We are completely sure that avocados will be a product that becomes part of the people's diets."

"They don't consume many avocados because the knowledge isn't there, but hey, we know the fruit arrives from the U.S. and Mexico, and that it's a product that enters very well into the Japanese's diets."

Photo: www.shutterstock.com

www.freshfruitportal.com