The loading of the first vessel that will transport fruit of the Upper Rio Negro Valley to Russia marked the beginning of the port's 2019 export season.
According to estimates around 170,000 pallets of fruit and concentrated juices will be exported to markets in Russia, the United States and other European countries during this season.
"We are in the Port of San Antonio Este, observing the loading of the first boat with fruit that will soon depart to Russia; a market that is increasingly becoming more competitive and more like the European market," stated the minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing, Alberto Diomedi, who toured the facilities accompanied by the manager of Patagonia Norte, Cristian Lopez, and the new head of the local Naval Prefecture, Leandro Serrano.
"For the port's export season to begin, we have to talk about the harvest in the Alto Valle, which started two weeks ago," the official stated, adding that "we haven't achieved the fruit volume we expected because the temperature has been lower than usual."
However, "the fruit that is being loaded is of excellent quality. We the Government are here present to accompany our producers and the port workers. This is the final link of a whole productive process that includes production, processing, transport, conservation, consolidation, and storage," Diomedi added.
