Guatemala's agricultural export sector has participated in the PMA Fresh Summit, the most important agricultural fair in the North American market, for thirty consecutive years. This fair has been the platform that has allowed Guatemalan non-traditional agricultural products, such as sweet peas, Chinese peas, mangoes, berries, among others, to win over international consumers, and position itself as a supplier of world-class fresh produce.
These three decades of participating in the PMA Fresh Summit have allowed the country to consolidate its image as an agricultural exporting country to the world, thanks to the color, taste, and freshness of its products, as well as for their good agricultural practices. The export of peas, broccoli, green beans, melons, watermelons, mangoes, and flowers, among others, have allowed Guatemala to be the United States' 4th biggest supplier of fresh products, stated the president of AGEXPORT's AGRITRADE Platform, Estuardo Castro.
AGEXPORT'S AGRITRADE Platform integrated a delegation made up of 80 representatives of Guatemalan companies, which will present a significant agricultural offer in products and services at the 2017 edition of the PMA Fresh Summit, which will be held on October 20 and 21. These companies are: Aliar, Coprisa, Frutesa, Frutico, the Pea Committee, AGEXPORT'S Ornamental Plants and Foliage Committee, Flores Bohemia, Agrocumbre, Cooperativa Agrícola Integral Cuatro Pinos, Asocafé Pochuta, Logidoc, Maxim, FIDA, AIMAR, APL, SIESA, Homeland, Agroindustrias del Trópico, San Juan Agroexport, Flores Bohemia, El Labrador, FONAGRO, El Tesoro Group, Occidental Corporation, COMBEX IM, UPS, and Agribolsa
According to Castro, Guatemala's participation in this international fair has contributed so that the US became a strategic partner and so that they could export more than US $1.135.500.000.000 in vegetables and fresh fruits to that market in 2016.
In these almost 30 years, exporters and visitors have had the opportunity to interact with other leaders of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry, renew ties with current suppliers, gather information for future purchase decisions and, above all, develop more business. That's why, to celebrate this anniversary, we doubled the size of our country's stand, from 50m2 to 100m2. In addition we will participate under the "Guatemala Beyond Expectations" brand, Castro stated.
Guatemala's 2017 delegation grew by 75%, as apart from the Guatemalan companies offering a varied range, from fresh products to the technology in the application of agricultural processes, the delegation will have another 50 people from different export sectors who seek to generate more than 200 business appointments, the President of the AGRITRADE Platform stated.
Source: Central American and Caribbean Digital Newspaper