According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), Mexico's raspberry production grew by 111.15 percent between January and October 2016, when compared to the same period of the previous year. This allowed Mexico to consolidate its position as the fifth largest producer of the crop.
According to data from the Agricultural Foods and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP), in the tenth month of the year the country's raspberry production amounted to 54,332 tons.
This represents nearly 80 percent of the country's total production in 2015 and an additional 29,141 tons relative to what was reported in the tenth month of the previous year.
Eight states produce raspberry: Baja California, Colima, Mexico City, Hidalgo, Jalisco, the State of Mexico, Michoacan, and Puebla.
The three main producing entities between January and October 2016 were Jalisco, with 38,192 tons, Baja California, with 9,941 tons, and Michoacan, with 6,180 tons. Together they accounted for more than 98 percent of the national volume.
Michoacan's growth in production during the reference period stands out, as the state had a 164.4 percent increase in production going from 2,320 tons to 6,180 tons.
Jalisco increased its production by 67.3 percent annual rate, going from 22,829 tons to 38,192 tons.
When compared to the same period in 2014, the country's raspberry production quintupled going from 10,825 tons to 54,033 tons.
Between 2014 and 2016, the average annual growth rate (AAGR) of raspberry production stood at 71.2 percent, which reflects the increased interest there is for producing this crop.
The production volume is the result of a public policy focused on having higher value crops in the domestic and international markets, which allows producers and their families to get better profits.
The production volume obtained between January and December 2015 amounted to 65,388 tons, which represents an 83.5 percent annual increase, i.e. almost three times the average obtained during the last decade, which stood at 23,000 tons.
According to estimates, the 2015 raspberry production was worth 2,462 million pesos and the crop area amounted to nearly 4,000 hectares.
Exports stood at 508.3 million dollars, and had a 38.4 percent annual increase. Mexico exported this fruit to 25 international destinations, such as Canada, the United States, Russia, Brazil, Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, France, UK, and Italy, among others.
Source: cdnoticias.com.mx