Commodity Fact Sheet What’s at Stake for Deciduous Fruits? On
Dec. 11, 2002, the United States concluded negotiations on a
free trade agreement (FTA) with Chile, the first such
arrangement with a South American country. The U.S. – Chile Free
Trade Agreement entered into force on January 1, 2004. This
agreement provides America’s farmers, ranchers, food processors,
and the businesses they support with improved, and in many
cases, new access to Chile’s market of 15 million consumers.
This comprehensive agreement calls for duty-free access on all
products and addresses other trade measures for both countries.
U.S. Deciduous Fruits Gain Improved Access to Chile’s Market
Before the agreement… U.S. deciduous fruits faced Chilean import
tariffs of 6 percent. Without preferential access, U.S.
deciduous fruits were at a disadvantage to fruit from Canada,
Mexico, Brazil, and the European Union. Also, U.S. fresh fruits
such as peaches, nectarines, and other stone fruits faced
phytosanitary barriers in Chile. The U.S. sh