The 2015 export season of cactus, prickly pear, xoconostle, and maguey leaf from the eastern region of the State of Mexico to the United States started today with a cargo of 20 tons.
Before this cargo was dispatched, the chief director of the National Service of Health, Food Safety and Quality (SENASICA), Enrique Sanchez Cruz, said Mexico was rapidly becoming a leading exporter of agricultural products, as more and more producers were applying the health and safety programs to offer quality food abroad.
He also stressed that the head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), Enrique Martinez y Martinez, had instructed them to work hand in hand with farmers to meet the highest international standards of health and safety, as in addition to the export market, farmers have the mission of providing Mexicans healthy food.
The president of the Association of Producers and Exporters of cactus, prickly pear, xoconostle and maguey leaf, AC, Jose Flavio Alvarez Hernandez, said they expected to export 50 percent more than the 10,000 tons exported in 2014. The products originate from the region composed of the municipalities of San Martin de las Piramides, Nopaltepec, Temascalapa, Acolman, Otumba, Axapusco, and San Juan Teotihuacan.
Additionally, he stated that the region exports, on average, 4,000 tons of cactus a year, 3,500 tons of red prickly pears, 200 tons of yellow prickly pears, 500 tons crystalline green prickly pears, 900 tons of xoconostle and 300 tons of maguey leaf to cities like Los Angeles, Maryland, Atlanta, Dallas and McAllen, among others
In the meeting launching this season's exports the constitution of the Association was also celebrated. The Association's purpose, according to Alvarez Hernandez, is to join forces to increase the competitiveness of producers. Alvarez Hernandez suggested strengthening the health and safety programs so that producers are ready to face the challenges of the market.
The secretary of Agricultural Development (SEDAGRO) of the State of Mexico, Enrique Ortega Heriberto Ramirez, said, in 2015, SENASICA had invested about 56 million pesos to undertake health and safety programs in the state, while the State Government had channelled 18 million pesos to be invested on traceability.
Ortega Ramirez said they were implementing health and safety programs to start exporting mexiquense guava and avocados from Temascaltepec to the United States in the short term.
In turn, the delegate of SAGARPA in the State of Mexico, Julio de la Mora Razura, said the region was the main producer with 16,900 hectares that produced 183,000 tons of prickly pears, cacti, maguey leaves, and xoconostle, which have an estimated commercial value of 500 million pesos.
He noted that the results obtained by the organized producers in the region are an example of the great progress achieved by the domestic agricultural sector, which has grown by six percent in the first months of 2015.
In turn, the head of the State Committee on Plant Health of the State of Mexico, Alvaro Rodolfo Diaz Andrade, said the entity had the potential of exporting food products because it had SRRC certified production units of cacti and organic cacti.
He acknowledged the support of SAGARPA, which via SENASICA has offered producers training and access to health and safety programs, which are indispensable in order to access markets.
The CEO of Plant Health Javier Trujillo Arriaga, Safety and Agrifood, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Hugo Fragoso Sánchez, and the director of Agrifood Safety, Operation Organic and Agricultural Pesticide Use of SENASICA, Silvia Elena Rojas attended the event.
The mayor of San Martin de las Piramides, Aristeo Diaz Martinez, the President of the National Peasant Confederation in the State of Mexico, Ezequiel Contreras Contreras, the local deputy Carla Libertad Dominguez del Rio and the CEO of Agriculture from SEDAGRO, Ruben Davila Mendoza, among others, were also present at the event.
Source: mimorelia.com