Adam Hollowell, BCI’s Senior Trade Policy Specialist, traveled to Michigan in early August as part of efforts to open South Africa for U.S. fresh blueberries. Adam was part of a delegation that included officials from South Africa’s quarantine ministry and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, as well as representatives from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC). BCI has worked closely with USHBC and APHIS to negotiate and finalize a workplan to open the market. This visit was the final step in that process.
During the visit, which BCI helped to coordinate, South African officials were shown fresh blueberry production, storage, and export practices, as well as some of agreed quarantine mitigations that BCI helped to negotiate. The visit was successful and is anticipated to result in the opening of the South African market for U.S. fresh blueberries in the coming months.
