Pineapple production in Medellin has plummeted and producers are trying to place it in the markets of Veracruz, said Lidia Chipuli Lara, president of the Board of Improvements of La Laguna, in that municipality.
"You can see how things are, there have been farmers who lost this year, there was little planting and there are losses: they always planted more than 2,000 acres, and now they only planted around 800 hectares."
"There are no resources to work with, the value of the fruit isn't good enough. Right now, they have stopped planting and have gone to other places to be able to work and come to town to keep planting," she said.
She said that a hectare could produce between 40 and 50 tons of pineapple, so losses amounted to many thousands of pesos.
The pineapple producers don't have government subsidies and nothing is the same since the fruit and vegetable packaging left the community of Los Robles, within the same municipality of Medellin, she said.
With no market for their fruit, producers now have to go searching for a market in the city of Veracruz.
"Currently, producers who have a vehicle are going to the Malibran market or to shopping centres, restaurants and greengrocers."
"A ton of pineapples currently costs about $4,000 pesos, but that's because this is the first harvest, the second harvest is already at $2,000 pesos," said Lara Chipuli.
Producers hope the price of pineapple in the market increases because the current situation is affecting at least 200 producers only in the La Laguna community.
Pineapple Fair
The 30th edition of the Pineapple Fair 2015 will be held from 22 to 24 May in the congregation of La Laguna, municipality of Medellin de Bravo.
Patricia Segura Lara, a member of the organizing committee, said the fair would open on Friday 22 at 7:00 pm and that they would later crown the kings and the royal court.
On Saturday afternoon there will be cockfights, a horse parade to honour the Pila Fair, parades, and traditional dances that will start at 10:00 pm.
On Sunday afternoon there will be more cockfighting, tasting of traditional sweets and pineapple, the second grand parade with floats, and a free Disco Night that will start at 11:00 pm to celebrate the closing of the Pineapple Fair.
Source: imagendelgolfo.com.mx