Mexico only consumes three percent of the berries it produces as it exports 97 percent of its berry production, mainly to the United States, Europe and some countries in the Middle East.
"85 percent of the production goes to the US and the remaining 15 percent is sent to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, which has had significant growth lately," said Mario Andrade Cardenas, Aneberries' president of the Board.
He said that the low consumption in the country wasn't the result of a lack of investment but that it was due to cultural aspects. "The berries are still a new product in Mexico and its production was driven by export demand," he said.
Some retail chains already have berries throughout the year and there's even one city in the country where you can buy berries at the traffic lights.
Jalisco has three thousand hectares devoted to the production of berries and production is expected to grow by 30% in 2015 as the state is expected to increase its berry productive area by one thousand hectares, mainly of blueberry and raspberry.
Hector Padilla Gutiérrez, secretary of Rural Development recognized that this industry is relatively young, so it required doing campaigns to increase local consumption.
"Since it is a demand that is still increasing but that still doesn't have enough momentum, we will work in Jalisco which is the berries' second consumer market in the country, so people get to know the berries better," said Padilla Gutiérrez.
The berry sector is working, via the Marketing and Market Development Services Agency (Aserca), on a multinational campaign to promote the berries in the countries to which they are exported and also in Mexico.
"We have not defined this year's program, but we are negotiating with Aserca. We are voluntarily adhering to self-regulation, which has opened the doors of this federal agency when managing the campaign to promote consumption "said the manager.
The production of berries, which involves 3,500 farmers nationwide and 1,000 farmers in Jalisco, does not require large tracts of land.
Jalisco exports
Jalisco is the second largest producer of berries nationwide and ranks first in the production of blueberries and raspberries. Mexico has 24,000 hectares devoted to the production of berries nationwide.
The first commercial shipment of berries to China will depart on January 27 and expectations are Mexico will export berries to that nation every other day, once the palates of that nation become familiar with these products.
Source: Crónica Jalisco