The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development has said the authorities in China have agreed to open the market there to imports of Portuguese grapes, Lusa reports.

The Portuguese news agency quotes a written announcement issued by the ministry on Friday as saying “the first phytosanitary agreement” with China was reached after intense negotiations.

The announcement quotes a Portuguese official, Luís Medeiros Vieira, as saying negotiations about opening the Chinese market to imports of Portuguese pears, apples and citrus fruit are at an advanced stage.

Mr Medeiros Vieiras said Portuguese farmers, whose exports have been growing consistently, now had another opportunity to do more business in China.

The value of exports of Portuguese fruit and vegetables was over 900 million euros (about US$992 million) in the first seven months of this year, 11 percent more than in the corresponding period last year, Lusa says.