The country could get more out of its countryside through the diversification of its crops and the processing of products so that they gain added value. For example, as the world's ninth producer of exotic fruits, Colombia has enormous potential.
In the last week of July, for example, Colombia sent its first shipments of cape gooseberries without cold treatment to the United States. This means that the fruit won't have to be 14 days in quarantine in a refrigerator at the port of arrival. In addition, without the cold treatment the fruit avoids losing its freshness and export costs are decreased by 40%. This is an opportunity that can't be wasted and that could be replicated in other products.
The country should focus on new products and markets. Competing internationally with maize from the United States is an uphill battle, but Colombia can grow in other sectors. According to a study carried out by the Procultivos Chamber of the National Association of Entrepreneurs (Andi) and the NGO Technoserve, the main agricultural potential of Colombia is in African oil palm, cocoa and mango. Of these three, African Palm is currently among the eight products that make up 70% of the national agricultural production, along with flowers, banana, coffee, sugar, rice, potato and corn.
Maria Helena Latorre, Executive Director of Procultivos, said that, "what we want with this prioritization is to bet on something in particular, just as Costa Rica bet on pineapple. The African oil palm, cocoa and mango make 1,458 million dollars. By 2025, they should amount to 3,150 million dollars. This calculation was made according to what the world is willing to pay."
One doesn't need to go far to find examples of diversification and value-added products. In Costa Rica, pineapple dethroned coffee and bananas as the major agricultural export product since 2012. In Ecuador, according to Latorre, some European buyers have paid up to $60,000 dollars per ton of high quality cocoa. Colombian cocoa is one of the finest in the world and the global industry that depends on this product recognizes it. Last year, the cocoa produced by the Cortepaz Association in the municipality of Tumaco won the foreign excellence award in the Chocolate Salon in Paris; which is proof that well organized peasant associations can get very far.
However, the development of the fields is not just a matter of land usage and subsidies. As Rafael Mejia, President of the SAC, states there must be a transversal approach because it requires attention from the State on issues incumbent to various ministries and agencies, such as security, transportation, education, credit, road infrastructure, irrigation districts, silos, drying plants, ports and customs.
Source: dinero.com