Guadalajara, Jalisco - Fernando Antonio Nava Aguilar, the Coordinator of Horticultural Development of the Ministry of Rural Development (Seder) of Jalisco, recently reported that Etzatlán is the nation's leading producer of bell peppers.

He said that a determining factor for the municipality's leading position is the fresh export of this type of pepper. According to him, bell pepper production is a strong example that the fields in Jalisco have transformed by introducing highly profitable crops that are in line with the market trends of producing healthy food.

State-wise, Jalisco ranks second in the production of bell peppers and only Guanajuato surpasses it. However Etzatlán is the leading municipality nationwide, he said.

He emphasized that, in 2014, Jalisco produced 17,848 tons of bell peppers, 9,870 of which were produced in Etzatlán. Nava Aguilar said that other municipalities in Jalisco that have a relevant production are Lagos de Moreno, Atotonilco El Alto, Ahualulco de Mercado, and Poncitlan. "Tamazula de Gordian also has a very technified, good production project," Nava Aguilar said.

According to him, Etzatlán is the leading producer of bell peppers because of the advantages of a stable micro climate that has no marked ups and downs in its thermal conditions, the great market knowledge that the Divemex company has, and the higher investments that this company is making in greenhouse facilities.

He stressed that the company strategies to penetrate the export market have been crucial to the sustained growth experienced by pepper production in Jalisco.

The cultivation of peppers requires large amounts of investment, he said. Producers have to invest in greenhouses, seeds, and irrigation equipment, among other things. "Greenhouse equipment alone costs about three million pesos. Additionally, producers must pay the packing plants, and operating costs are about six and a half or seven million pesos," he said. "Fortunately, profits are much higher than expenses," he added.