After over 20 years of negotiations, the official framework for the systems approach program for Chilean table grape imports into the U.S. is awaiting final revisions.

The current proposed standard was published on Oct. 17 of last year and its public consultation process ended on Jan. 17.

The Chilean sector and authorities are eagerly expecting the final resolution, with industry sources agreeing that the new phytosanitary rule could help secure better fruit quality on arrival, thus boosting the sector’s scope in the U.S.

"Chilean industry is super prepared for the system approach, they have made a great effort to prepare themselves over the 20 years since the first pilot program in 2002. The industry is ready, SAG (Chile’s sanitary authority) is ready, they are prepared and I congratulate them for their professionalism," said Bret Tate, Agricultural Attaché, U.S. Embassy in Chile.

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This agreement will allow producers in areas with low prevalence of Lobesia botrana and Brevipalpus chilensis in the regions of Atacama, Coquimbo and Valparaíso, who meet the established requirements, to export without fumigation with methyl bromide.

The systems approach requires producers to register and prove their compliance with requirements.

These include setting traps in orchards, permanent monitoring and inspection at origin jointly between both countries, among other actions that ensure the export of a safe product.

Chile currently ships approximately 37 million boxes of table grapes per season to the U.S., accounting for over half of the country’s total exports.

Out of the proposed zone for the systems approach, around 20 million boxes (52% of the region's total production) are shipped to the U.S. every season.