Mexico has still the greatest per capita consumption of avocados in the world, with the United States in second place as its main export market, after receiving approximately 50% of the 1,100,000 tonnes produced by the Mexican State of Michoacan last season; a period during which the company Promega exported a total of 700 containers, from which 500 were shipped to the US, 125 to Japan, 75 to Europe and another 20 to Canada.
Despite the fact that Europe is a difficult market where fruit from many parts of the world concurs, Mexican avocados enjoy of a window of opportunity during which excellent prices can be obtained, although it lasts no longer than four months. "Our goal, for the next productive cycle, is to reach Europe with greater intensity. We seek clients with the right size, experience and sales capacity," affirms Celso Castillo, Sales Manager of Promega.
Promega was founded in Mexico over 30 years ago as a producer and packer of fruits, chiefly avocado, packed mainly at its plant in Uruapan, Michoacan and to a lesser extend in Jalisco. At the plant in Uruapan, which is certified by GlobalGAP and PrimusLabs, around 13,000 tonnes of fresh Hass avocados for export are processed per season.
The company works with associated producers with a total acreage of around 500 hectares, certified by GlobalGAP and PrimusLabs. It also collaborates with many other producers who own thousands of hectares more, in the process of becoming GlobalGAP-certified, as well as other plantations with a considerable acreage of organic avocados.
"Additionally, at another of our Aguacate National plants, also located in Uruapan, Michoacan, around 10,500 tonnes of our leading product, Hass avocados, are packed." 100% of this fruit is intended for the domestic market.
The products are commercialised under the PROMEGA brand and distributed mainly by Promega itself through the Central Wholesalers market of Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, as well as via several retailer self-service chains nationwide.
Promega also produces limes and has packing plants in Tecoman (Colima) and Apatzingan (Michoacan). Currently, around 16,000 tonnes of Key lime are packed every year, although it is a product with a falling financial value. This is the reason why "of the more than 300 hectares devoted to Key lime plantations, most are being converted to Persian limes to be able to export them to the United States," explains Celso.
Other products of the firm include papaya Maradol, with plantations in Tecoman (Colima), of which around 8,000 tonnes per year are produced; or strawberries, also with its own plantations in Zamora (Michoacan) and from which around 8,000 tonnes per year are packed and commercialised in both the domestic and the US market between November and March.
The company also distributes pineapples from Colima, of which large volumes are produced during the season, which goes from August to November, and which are mainly sold in the domestic market; and lastly grapes, which are grown and sold especially within the US.
Next year, Promega will once again attend Fruit Logistica, in Berlin, with the main intention of expanding in the European market and recovering the leading position which Mexican avocados once had in markets such as France or Germany. "Maximum care is being taken with our phytosanitary and post-harvest measures to ensure great quality for all our future shipments," concludes Celso Castillo.
For more information:
PROMEGA
LAE Celso Castillo, Sales Manager
Office: +52(452)528-0332 Ext. # 116
Fax: +52(452)528-2069
Mobile: +52 1(452)525-6322
celso@promegaupn.com
http://www.promega.com.mx/