Colombian cape gooseberry won’t need to undergo quarantine treatments to be sent to the United States

The Colombian Agricultural Institute, ICA, stated that the United States Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) had recognized the Colombian gooseberry as a natural non-host for the Mediterranean fly (Ceratitis capitata).

APHIS will begin the regulatory process in the United States establishing the new phytosanitary requirements for the export of cape gooseberry from Colombia, which will allow producers to export this product from any area of the country (complying with ICA Resolution 0448 of 2016) without requiring the application of quarantine treatments for the fruit.

This means the Colombian cape gooseberries will be available for a longer time in the US markets, raising expectations and sales volume. In fact, according to information from the National Foreign Trade Association (Analdex), cape gooseberry exports are expected to increase by more than 100% in 2022, going from approximately 1,106 tons to 2,500 this year.

Currently, Colombia exports cape gooseberry to the United States exclusively from the Cundiboyacense highlands, under the conditions of the work plan established between ICA, APHIS, and Analdex, which implies maintaining a surveillance system for Mediterranean flies for a minimum of nine months to guarantee the farms are free of this pest and are located in low prevalence areas or with the application of cold treatment for 14 days.

The country exports cape gooseberries to 24 countries, including Germany, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Lebanon, Russia, and Singapore, among others. To date, there are 441 registered cape gooseberry farms in the country, with an area of 630.3 hectares and a production potential of 12 tons per hectare. The departments of Cundinamarca, Boyaca, and Antioquia have the greatest export potential.