AUSTRALIAN producers of Hass variety avocados have a new window of market opportunity after India approved an export protocol last year.
Avocados Australia welcomed the news and said the next step is to work on accrediting growers and packers to the new protocol.
"It is terrific news that Australian avocado growers, once accredited, can export to India," Avocados Australia chief executive officer, John Tyas, said.
"We can now look to growing this exciting new market.
"Once accredited, Australian avocado growers from all regions of Australia will be able to export to India.
"We have increasing supply so growing export markets and increasing exports is an important focus for us."
Australian production is forecast to increase strongly over the next few years to around 170,000 tonnes per annum expected to be produced by 2026.
Avocados Australia has a number of new markets in its sights.
"With Australia's relationship improving with China we see China as an excellent market opportunity," Mr Tyas said.
In fact, in November Avocados Australia chair and the China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association's president, Wang Xin, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at building capabilities toward technical market access.
The MOU signing ceremony was an important forward step toward market access and was witnessed by then premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
"Avocados Australia respects and values our relationships with our important Chinese stakeholders. This ceremony is an important next step in our market access journey," Mr Tyas said.
"I would like to thank Mr Wang Xin for taking part in the signing as we were able to come together and be open about the possibilities of working toward market access for Australian Avocados."
The China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association (CIQA) is a not-for-profit organisation focused on the import and export inspection and quarantine sector.
It assists with overcoming technical barriers to trade agreements and other technical market access issues.
The MOU brings with it the ability to share market intelligence, the ability to develop frameworks for required research and development that channels into overcoming market access barriers and facilitating information sharing between China's regulatory market access bodies and Avocados Australia.
A number of Chinese importers have already expressed interest in Australian Avocados and the Australian avocado industry are known for being reliable suppliers of quality avocados.
However, technical market access is a critical step and avocados are in line behind a number of other commodities in the negotiations.
For now India is the focus and there were many key stakeholders who played a part in achieving market access.
"India market access is great news and I would like to thank all of our key stakeholders for helping us get to this point," said Mr Tyas.
Sign up here to Good Fruit and Vegetables weekly newsletter for all the latest horticulture news each Thursday...
