Jalisco, Mexico - The general manager of the National Association of Exporters of Berries (Aneberries), Blanca Nelly Partida, said that the Splendor Produce company would send a first container with half a ton of Jalisco-grown raspberries to Dubai next week.

"There are many buyers in the Arabian Peninsula that are especially interested in raspberry, blackberry and blueberry imports." Partida said. "This first shipment will serve as a logistics test for future shipments."

In turn, Hector Padilla Gutierrez, the Secretary of Rural Development of Jalisco said that this opens a new segment of opportunities for the producers of agri-foods in the state, as this market makes annual purchases of more than 40,000 million dollars.

"There is a high possibility that we will quickly have a presence in these markets in an unprecedented way. This is not usual, but it does happen from time to time," he said.

"Authorities and companies in the Arabian Peninsula are also interested in Mexican-grown avocado, sesame, chia, mango, banana, and limes," he added.

Currently, Mexican agricultural exports to this region only amount to 20 million dollars, and the country has 45 commercial schemes to export food to this trading bloc, which has 47 million consumers.