The Mexican government’s efforts to make more than half the country fruit fly-free have boosted guava exports and preserved a thriving mango industry, reported website mimorelia.com.

The story reported National Agrifood Service of Sanitary, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) figures that 984,479 square kilometres of the country’s territory were recognised as plague-free.

Farmers from 50.25% of the country have been able to export fruits such as mangos, guavas, oranges and peaches with a commercial value of more than US$20 million without quarantine treatment.
The Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fishing and Food said the national campaign against fruit flies operates in 24 states of Mexico, spending around US$9.5 million in 2010. In the state of Michoacán, total funds spent on phytosanitary campaigns, including those against fruit flies, amounted to around US$3.9 million.

There are currently 1,665 guava-growing hectares in the state, which also exported 55,000MT of mangos and 7,000MT of grapefruit in 2010, mainly to Europe and Canada.

The report stated that Mexico exported 210,000MT of mangos in 2010.

Mexico has received an additional boost to its fruit exporters recently with Danish container line Maersk Line launching a new service from the ports of Altamira and Veracruz to Europe, reported website empresaexterior.com

The new ‘CRX’ route connects Mexico with the European ports of Tilbury, Rotterdam and Bremerhaven. Once uploaded in Altamira, fruits should arrive in Rotterdam in 20 days.

“The service will also help fresh fruit exporters from Mexico that plan to transport lemons, mangos and avocados to Europe. These commodities are sensitive to transport and require special storage conditions while being transported by sea,” the report said.

Maersk’s director general for Central America Erik Bo Hansen told the publication that in the last few years many clients have expressed interest in a route that would connect the Gulf of Mexico with the world.

“These same clients - and more – are very grateful for the new very competitive product that unites Veracruz and Altamira with Europe,” he was quoted as saying. “They see this as plugging an important gap in the service portfolio of Maersk Line, while providing greater choices in this important and growing trade.”

The report said the two Mexican ports represent 35% of the country’s transport and container market.

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com