Announcement on Uruguayan citrus pleases Seald Sweet

Announcement on Uruguayan citrus pleases Seald Sweet

July 16, 2013

After nearly a decade of rigorous pest assessments and evaluation of risk mitigations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture published the final rule in the Federal Register July 10 that permits citrus from Uruguay to be shipped into the Continental United States.

"We are so excited that the ruling we have been pursuing over the last 10 years is finally being passed," Mayda Sotomayor, chief executive officer of Seald Sweet, based in Vero Beach, FL, said in a press release. "The quality of citrus is outstanding and the availability of certain commodities nicely complements existing summer citrus programs, which enables us to continue building the category. For example, the Salustiana Navel from Uruguay has fantastic exterior appearance and excellent interior eating quality.

"Uruguay has a long history as a citrus-producing country with second- and third-generation farming operations, and well established supply channels in the European market, which is accustomed to high quality standards," Sotomayor continued. "This new market access is very positive in regards to U.S. interests as well as beneficial to the Uruguayan farmers."

The ruling allows importers like Seald Sweet to continue to grow the citrus category with year-round availability in the U.S. market, and it gives Uruguayan farmers the opportunity to develop a new market.

The ruling has been long awaited and faced numerous setbacks over the years, but continued persistent efforts from various individuals and organizations finally led to the USDA requirement of due diligence being met and approval of market access granted.

"We are very grateful for the efforts of the U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay, Julissa Reynoso," Bruce McEvoy, director of global affairs for Seald Sweet and its parent company, the UNIVEG Group, added in the press release. "She played a major role in facilitating the rule-making process and keeping the flow of processes moving along.

The effective date for this rule is Aug. 9, 2013, and the first shipments should take place by mid-August, meaning the first commercial shipments should arrive in early September on the U.S. East Coast. Consumers and retailers will have a taste of Uruguayan citrus before the summer season comes to a close.