After the reopening of the European Union markets last May, the first load of Argentine organic citrus fruits arrived on the old continent. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries announced this, specifying that these are goods certified by the Argentine National Agri-Food Health Service (Senasa). "As Economy Minister Sergio Massa always tells us, we must give priority to those who invest, those who generate value and Argentine work", underlined the head of the national agricultural portfolio Juan José Bahillo . The reopening of this "very important market", recalls the secretary, occurred after twenty years "and now we must continue to relaunch exports, because they are a source of foreign exchange, employment and roots for the entire Argentine hinterland."

"The entry takes place after obtaining authorization from the EU to restart the import of organic citrus fruit after two decades without allowing it, as a result of the work carried out by the different areas of the organization within the framework of the current equivalence with that bloc community", underlined Senasa president Diana Guillén . The shipment that left the port of Buenos Aires and arrived at its destination consists of 60.5 tons of lemons.

Last May, after twenty years, the EU reopened the market to organic citrus fruits from Argentina after accepting Senasa's proposal to use sodium bicarbonate as a post-harvest treatment for shipments of organic citrus fruits. Previously, Argentina had been prohibited from exporting organic citrus fruit, as the Latin American country did not have post-harvest treatments accepted by the authorities for organic production.

Senasa's proposal is based on Resolution 374/16, which regulates the certification of the production, transformation and marketing of organic products in Argentina. According to the Argentine Ministry of Agriculture, the European Union measure will produce a positive impact on the production of organic citrus fruits in the Latin American country, which today has 3,342 hectares cultivated with these characteristics. Between 2001 and 2003, Senasa certified shipments of 2,500 tonnes of fresh organic citrus fruit, mainly oranges and lemons, to the EU.