CHINA: Chine to okay entry of Chilean fruit

A visit to China by Chile's Agriculture Minister, Jaime Campos, during the week beginning 16 October, has set the stage for an agreement to allow greater access to China's market for Chile's fresh fruit exports.Campos, together with China Agriculture Undersecretary Zhang Baowen, worked on final details of the agreement, which is expected to be formally signed during November.Once finalized, the deal will mean that Chile becomes the second nation, after the US, to be given preferential treatment for its fresh fruit exports. Chile's stonefruit exports to China are expected to benefit especially from the accord.On 17 October, Campos also attended the inauguration of a unique Chinese farm, built by Chile's Federation of Fruit Growers, Fedefruta. The 24 hectare farm, developed with the help of theUniversity of Chile's Agronomy Department, will serve as a kind of experimental station for developing stonefruit and table grapes varieties and should be in full production within three years.Campos said the experimental farm is designed to help both countries exchange agricultural information and foster the transfer of technology. This is the third such experimental farm to be created in China, after similar programs by Israel and Holland.