The president of the Mexican Association of Agricultural Development Secretaries (AMSDA), Hector Padilla Gutierrez, said that the state governments had to work hard to open commercial opportunities in the international context, because the new market niches benefit producers and generate jobs in rural areas, which could curb phenomena such as poverty and delinquency.
Recently, the state of Jalisco sent its first shipment of blueberries (630 kilograms) to the People's Republic of China, a country that has already become the second trading partner of Mexico, only preceded by the US.
The first shipment of raspberries to the People's Republic of China was made from the logistics center of the Guadalajara Airport on January 28, 2015. The first shipment of raspberry and strawberry was sent to Dubai and Kuwait on June 6, 2016, and the first shipment of blackberry and raspberry to Singapore was made in Tuxpan the day after.
Last year, they exported blueberries to Russia, Singapore, Germany, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Chile, Guatemala, Panama, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The president of the AMSDA invited the sector to intensify the generation of agricultural food products with ample value in the market to generate wealth, which will yield a better standard of life, not only for producers, but also for the inhabitants of their respective states.
He said that a trade agreement with China should be discussed at the federal level, after the ambassador to China, Qiu Xiaoqi, recently said that his country was open to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with Mexico.
"This treaty won't be achieved overnight. We must consider the pros and cons, however, we must analyze this possibility, look for options that give our agricultural food producers the possibility of improving their own and their families quality of life," he said.
In 2016 Mexico's agricultural food sector had a trade surplus of more than three billion dollars and exported more than 29 billion dollars in food. This sector currently generates more income than other sectors, such as oil, tourism, or remittances.
The airport of Guadalajara, the most important air distribution center of the country for perishable export products, is Jalisco's gateway to export, as it sends 21 percent of this type of food and 63 percent of its berry shipments through this airport.
Source: vanguardia.com.mx