A Chinese official delegation visited Brazil last week to discuss the possibility of importing melons from the South American nation, Chinese state-run broadcaster China Radio International reported.

The visit by members of China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine was to learn more about the cultivation system and quality control of melon production plants in the Brazilian states of Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará.

It is a necessary step before both sides can sign any bilateral agreement allowing the import of Brazilian melons, the report said. Negotiations on such imports first started in 2013, the broadcaster added.

The visit also came as Brazil aims significantly to increase its agricultural exports in the next few years. On Friday Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply said it wants to raise its share of global agricultural trade from the current 7 percent to 10 percent by 2018 – an increase of US$20 billion in cash terms in agricultural exports – Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

China, Russia and the European Union have been identified by Brazil as among the five key markets for the country’s agricultural exports, the report said. In 2015 China was the top destination of Brazilian agricultural products. Such exports were mainly based on soya beans and cellulose. China received 24 percent of Brazil’s agricultural exports last year.