The Cardenista Farmer's Union (CCC) announced that, as of August 16, it would start boycotting the US company Driscoll's, which is the main importer of strawberries and other soft fruits in Mexico, in Mexican supermarkets and throughout the country because they exploit Mexican workers to obtain profits at their expense.
Max Correa Hernandez, the national leader of the CCC, said that Edomex alone predominantly produced strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and that in the last two years they had explored producing cranberry, a fruit that was growing significantly.
However, the Secretariat of Agricultural Development of the State of Mexico (Sedagro) has not paid attention to this agricultural production sector, as the latest information they have is from 2014, when they produced 6,144 tons of strawberry in 336 hectares, worth 105,135,070 pesos.
Five municipalities produce soft fruits: Villa Guerrero, Zumpahuacan, Ixtapan de la Sal, Almoloya de Alquisiras, and Valle de Bravo.
Likewise, according to Sedagro sources, in 2014 the State of Mexico produced almost 116 tons of raspberry in 17,375 hectares, worth 2,530,460 pesos.
Max Correa said they would place protest cards in the freezers where the strawberries are sold so that consumers don't buy them because they represent the exploitation of about 250 Mexican workers and children hired in the San Quentin Valley in Ensenada Baja California
The production of berries in thirteen municipalities of the State of Mexico left an economic spill of just over 111 million pesos in 2014. The production of these fruits in the Mexican territory has increased by more than 40% since then, and the country currently produces more than 8,900 tons of berries worth 150 million pesos, Correa stated.
Mexico ranks fifth in strawberry production, and blueberry and raspberry production are growing exponentially. However, the working conditions of agricultural day laborers are precarious.
Max Correa, the general secretary of the CCC said that 10% of the agricultural workers dedicated to the production of berries are in the State of Mexico, and that less than 20% of them are affiliated to the IMSS, so their wages are lower than 100 pesos per day.
Source: elsoldetoluca.com.mx