Paraguay: First chia shipment to Australia

According to the Embassy in Australia, Paraguay has exported the first shipment of nine containers of chia worth US$608,000 to Australia.

After discussions with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment (DAFF), permission was granted for entry into Australian territory.

This authorization is valid for six months so that future shipments can be imported under the same conditions.

Similarly, the Paraguayan Embassy in Canberra will continue to make the necessary arrangements to put in place permanent measures to ensure the importation of future shipments of Paraguayan products.

Chia is cultivated in central Mexico, Guatemala, and several South American countries – Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Argentina.

Chia seeds are a source of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants for humans, and used as feed for chickens to enrich their eggs with omega-3 fatty acids.

This first export of chia to Australia is significant for Paraguay. It is the result of the efforts of diplomatic missions abroad and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote trade and market access, always paying special attention to the expansion and diversification of markets for domestic production.

With information from Latina Press