Argentinian fruit exporters are facing a tough season, there has been a ban on exports to the country's biggest trading partner, Brazil. The official line is that the Argentinian fruit does not meet phytosanitary requirements.
In December last year Brazil required that Argentinian fruit be treated before entering the country and despite there being adequate treatment centres ready for use they have not been authorised by the Argentinian government.
Some say this situation is political retaliation to the situation between the two countries.
What ever the reasoning behind it the situation is very bad for growers and people who have invested in the treatment plants.
Brazil would normally take 40-50% of Argentina's grapes and some growers are considering not even harvesting the crop, while others are looking at sending the fruit for processing. Other profitable markets will be hard to find as fruit destined for Brazil will not be of the quality expected in the European markets.
Jacques Joubert from exporting company Sud Fruit sees no short term solution to this problem, "to date not one truck of grapes has left for the Brazilian market and with the stone fruit season due begin in two weeks it is a big problem for everyone involved in the industry."
