Guatemalan producers will export blueberries for the first time to the United States, thanks the high demand for this product in that country. The project seeks to supply supermarket chains and restaurants.
Agricultural exporter Planesa will venture into the production of blueberries to supply supermarket chains in the United States.
Roberto Castañeda, the president of Planesa, said that the first shipment would be ready to be exported in September.
"There is potential for blueberry production thanks to new agricultural technologies, genetic varieties, and the ideal climatic conditions for harvesting this fruit," he said.
The entrepreneur stressed that the blueberry will be produced in farms of Chimaltenango and will be processed in Parramos, where an investment in a plant has been carried out for four years.
Castañeda said that they had already worked out the admissibility protocols with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
He added that, to be able to export, there were some phytosanitary aspects pending, as well as the new fumigation protocol to comply with the regulations. This protocol has aspects related to risk mitigation, to avoid causing damage to the production of other countries. For the time being, he said, the USDA needs to remits it, so that they can proceed with the fumigation protocol in Guatemala to access the market.
A valued fruit
Marco Vinelli Ruiz, a Peruvian producer and exporter of blueberries, said that the United States was the main buyer of this fruit in the world, and that it could bring opportunities for Guatemalan producers, especially at the time when there is no production in that country, from August to March. He added that the People's Republic of China was another growing market since 2017. In Latin America, Chile is the main producer and exporter of this fruit, followed by Peru, and Argentina.
Source: presnalibre.com