Mexico expects to export 120 million dollars in agricultural food products to the countries of the Arabian peninsula this year. In the medium-term, the country expects to export 500 million dollars per year, which would directly benefit more than 5,000 Mexican producers, stated the Ministry of Agriculture on monday.
The holder of the Ministry of Agriculture portfolio, Jose Calzada, said this result was due to an integrated strategy of the Federal Government to diversify in international markets, in particular with Arab countries, which have 1.6 billion inhabitants.
Mexico is a reliable supplier of quality food products for the world, said Calzada at the Mexico-Arab Agricultural Food Meeting.
One of the advances in this first stage, he noted, was achieved by the visit by 40 Mexican producers and businessmen to the Arab region in May. As a result, the country has already exported 250 tons of chick peas to the region, the first shipment of berries (raspberries and blackberries) has been delivered, as well as shelf products.
Additionally, he said, the country was intensifying the follow up work on health protocols for the sale of honey, avocado, dates, and canned food (fruits, vegetables, and sauces).
He recalled that Mexico had exported 45 million dollars in agricultural food products to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, in 2015 - almost 1 percent of the 46 billion that these countries import in food products; which represents a significant window of opportunity for Mexico.
This can only be achieved by well organised producers and with the support of the Mexican Government, to obtain quality and safety certifications, and by focusing on opening new markets to benefit Mexican farming families.
In turn, the director general for Africa and the Middle East of the Mexican Chancellery, Jorge Alvarez, said that the strengthening of relations between Mexico and the Arab countries was part of a strategy of the Mexican Government to cooperate, promote new markets and investments through a permanent link and long term goals.
In that sense, he highlighted the region's potential as a net imports market, where Mexico "has the opportunity of exporting high quality agricultural food products, strengthening political and commercial relationships, as well as links with the private sector."