Recently, Peru's Minister of Agricultural Development and Irrigation (Midagri), ángel Manero, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China's Deputy Director General of Customs, Zhao Zenglian, on the prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which is an important step for Peru in realizing the export of beef to China.

Peruvian newspaper El Peruano reported on the 23rd that Manero said, “With this document, it is hoped that the effective system implemented in Peru in terms of foot-and-mouth disease will be recognized; it also ensures that we receive technical support and guarantees that will lead to the authorization to export beef to China.”

The next step will be for the Chinese technical delegation to carry out official inspections with the Peruvian National Agricultural Sanitation Service (Senasa) team, which is expected to formally declare Peru a FMD-free country in November. This work will facilitate progress in the negotiation of a sanitary agreement that will lead to authorization to export beef to China.

In the medium term, Peru's annual sales of meat exports to China will exceed US$5 billion.

Manero also revealed that Peru will sign a phytosanitary agreement with China for the export of chestnuts, piquillos and frozen fruits, including avocados, blueberries and mangoes, to China during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Leaders' Summit to be held in November.

“In this way, the government is boosting the agricultural sector and the economy of the country's fruit-growing base, with the goal of boosting annual exports of agricultural products to more than US$11.5 billion and continuing to promote the penetration of our products into the world's most important markets.” Manero said.