Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Jalisco is on the lips of many foreigners not only because of tequila exports, but also due to foreign sales of ‘red fruits’, as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are also known.
In 2021, Mexico produced around 940 thousand tons of red fruits for export, of which 50 percent were sent abroad from Jalisco, according to Juan José Flores García, director of the National Association of Berries Exporters of Mexico (Aneberries).
“There are 22 States of the Republic that produce berries, although around five are the main ones: Michoacán, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Sinaloa and Baja California,” he said in an interview.
He explained that Jalisco contributes with 10,000 cultivated hectares, and participates with 50 percent of the production in the export volume, as it has higher yields and more technification in its fields.
Mexican berry exports represent a spill of 3.2 billion dollars.
Regarding employment, the production of berries in Mexico supports more than 720,000 jobs, of which between 60 and 70 thousand are in Jalisco.
“Jobs were maintained in all areas, and I would even say that they were a very good job opportunity for other sectors that closed because they were not essential,” said Flores García.
The sector expects to grow between 8 and 10% in 2022, despite the challenges it faces in finding enough labor and guaranteeing the supply of raw materials, such as fertilizers, since they are in short supply due to worldwide logistical problems.
Source: Luces del Siglo
