Representatives of the Association of producers of pineapples of Cevicos (Apropic) and of the US non-profit organization, International Executive Service Corps (IESC), agreed to improve the production and sales of pineapple in the national and international markets.
The President of Apropic, Miliciades Madera, and the director of the IECI, Brian Rudert, signed a collaboration agreement during a ceremony held at Cevicos.
IESC and Apropic pledged to work together to certify the members of this association of producers in good agricultural practices and fair trade. According to a press release, these certifications are important so that the national pineapple can advance in international markets like the US and Europe.
The agreement also makes available a traceability system to Apropic. This system allows marketers and consumers to know where a product originated, including in what farm it was grown, where it was packaged and how it arrived to its final destination.
Dominican pineapple is mainly sold in the domestic market, but it is also exported to the United States, the Caribbean, and Europe, especially to Spain, Italy, France, and the Netherlands. In addition, The Dominican Republic exports about 500 metric tons of pineapple per year to Israel. In total, in 2015 the country exported 7,500 metric tons of pineapple.
According to exporter Fabio Giuntoli, the Dominican pineapple is appreciated in Milan, and throughout Europe, for its texture and sweet flavor. The climate, as well as the facilities that the Dominican Republic has to export fresh products by air, have allowed the Dominican pineapple to become a gourmet product in the European market.
Miller and Taggart visited the Dominican Republic to meet partners and beneficiaries of the ECI, a program that works with the value chains of pineapple, avocado, cocoa, Oriental vegetables, and greenhouse vegetables. During their visit, they attended the signature of an agreement between the IESC and the Center of Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD), to promote Dominican agricultural exports.
Rudert was accompanied by the President of IESC and the retired Ambassador, Tom Miller, as well as by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of IESC, Don Taggart.
In turn, Madera was accompanied by Fabio Giuntoli, from the Board of Directors of Apropic.
Source: listindiario.com