VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0894/01 2651825
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 221824Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0064
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 0003
RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA 0003
RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 0003
RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR 0003
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000894 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
USDA FOR PATRICIA SHEIKH, OCBD, FAS 
TREASURY FOR BLINDQUIST 
COMMERCE FOR KMANN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD ECIN PREL CI
SUBJECT: CHILE: TRILATERAL COOPERATION BEGINS WITH CAFTA-DR COUNTRIES 
ON AGRICULTURAL INSPECTIONS 
 
REF: SANTIAGO 812 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  USDA and USAID sponsored 18 delegates from Costa 
Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua 
in a study tour of Chilean agricultural inspection and quarantine 
facilities August 31-September 4.  Post proposed the visit, in 
keeping with the commitment made by Presidents Obama and Bachelet 
in June to increase trilateral cooperation in the Hemisphere.  The 
delegates observed Chile's agricultural inspection services as well 
as how public sector regulation is balanced with private sector 
export needs.  Post's USDA offices and its Chilean counterparts 
have selected Costa Rica to conduct further trilateral cooperation 
projects.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
Background 
 
---------- 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) Presidents Obama and Bachelet committed to increasing 
trilateral cooperation in the Hemisphere during their White House 
meeting in June.  In keeping with this commitment, Post's USDA 
offices and the GOC focused on improving agricultural export 
procedures among the Central American Free Trade Agreement - 
Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR) member countries.  Chile, also a U.S. 
FTA partner, has a world-class agricultural and livestock 
inspection service (SAG) along with extensive experience exporting 
agricultural products to the U.S.  SAG has the second largest U.S. 
agricultural pre-clearance process in the world.  Chile also has 
previous experience working with Central American nations (see 
ref). 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) CAFTA-DR partners export many agricultural products to the 
U.S.  While their current port and container inspection practices 
have improved, detentions of fruit and vegetable shipments still 
occur at the port of entry in the U.S.  These detentions result not 
only in a preventable loss of revenue but also prompt further 
inspections in future shipments.  As a result, CAFTA-DR 
agricultural exports become less competitive.  These countries have 
requested technical assistance in inspection techniques and 
quarantine facilities in order to reduce the number of shipments 
detained and destroyed in the U.S. 
 
 
 
¶4. (U) USDA organized 18 delegates from the Ministries of 
Agriculture and private sectors of Costa Rica, the Dominican 
Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua to participate in a 
study tour of Chilean inspection and quarantine facilities August 
31 - September 4, 2009.  This trip was developed and paid for under 
the inter-agency agreement between USAID and USDA. The tour allowed 
Chile to demonstrate its successful agricultural export practices 
and to showcase the relationship between public sector regulation 
and private sector export needs -- reportedly an element that needs 
development in Central America. 
 
 
 
Visit 
 
----- 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) FAS put together a schedule for the CAFTA-DR visitors 
including appointments at the Ministry of Agriculture, packing 
houses, and exporters in the private sector.  SAG officials 
 
 
presented their inspection and quarantine system in detail, which 
impressed the group of delegates.  The visitors also received a 
briefing from the Fresh Fruit Export Association (ASOEX) and fresh 
fruit producers of the Central Region in Chile.  These briefings 
allowed the delegates to hear about the importance of good 
relations between exporters and the government. 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) The CAFTA-DR delegates also visited SAG inspection sites in 
Valparaiso, the border crossing with Argentina (Paso Los 
Libertadores), and the International Airport in Santiago to see 
Chile's agricultural inspections at ports of entry.  While at these 
sites, the group saw inspection techniques and phytosanitary 
certification, entomology laboratories (where insects are kept for 
reference and pests are identified), and SAG's quarantine station 
and central laboratory.  The program ended with a visit to an 
avocado and orange packing house where the visitors saw Chile's 
agricultural surveillance program. 
 
 
 
Results and Next Steps 
 
---------------------- 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) The CAFTA-DR delegates expressed a strong interest in 
forging a deeper relationship with SAG authorities.  Chilean 
authorities indicated they will assist the Central American region 
in attempts to improve the flow of agricultural exports to the U.S. 
FAS had worked with SAG independently of the visit to identify a 
country in the region in which to collaborate.  Both parties have 
agreed that Costa Rica appears ripe for trilateral cooperation, 
given that its agricultural inspection system is a little more 
advanced than other countries in the region. 
URBAN