Chilean fruit growers are hoping Chinese authorities will change their stance on quarantine zones and also recognize avocados are not hosts for the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly).

Currently, China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) applies quarantine measures to entire regions where fruit fly has been detected in Chile.

This specifically applies to the IV (Coquimbo), V (Valparaiso) and RM (Metropolitana) regions and means all fruit shipped from these key growing areas must undergo cold treatment, implying added costs and delays for exporters.

Chilean officials are trying to have the policy changed to quarantine zones of 27.2km (16.9mi) in radius from detection zones, and this was a key point of discussion during a recent visit of AQSIQ delegates to the South American country.

The Chinese mission was also investigating whether to determine avocados are not hosts for Medfly, which would remove cold treatment requirements for the popular fruit which gained access to the Chinese market in September, 2014.

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