Colombia exports sugar mangoes from Magdalena to the US for the first time.

For the first time, Colombia exported mango sugar produced in Magdalena to the US market. This in the context of a negotiation concluded by the Colfrutta company for the export of 6,000 kilos of fresh fruit.

The shipment is made to Dallas, Texas, from where it will also reach various destinations in the North American country, such as California, Miami, New York and Washington DC

“When people talk about Colombian mango, people think of sugar mango. We have made it the benchmark abroad. Although there are many varieties of this fruit, this is the one that has made Colombia recognized as a supplier all over the world , and it is thanks to the international market that it became profitable to grow it,” explains Antonio Acosta Jarma, Colfrutta’s Director of Export.

His company closed the deal with Seasons Farm Fresh, an importer and distributor based in Miami, Florida, whose customers range from wholesalers to supermarkets and food services.

“Colombian mangoes have a very good chance of integrating into the mango supply network in the United States. I think the special varieties, such as the sugar variety, are the ones that Colombia should focus on, as in terms of the most common varieties of red mango will be difficult to compete with Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and Brazil unless better times are chosen to grow and harvest, as well as larger plantings using hot water treatment facilities,” said Nick Bernal, Director of Seasons Farm Fresh.

He also explained that his company is still looking for Colombian suppliers. “Colombia is a rapidly developing country, with ports on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts; it has greater market access for commodities such as citrus, avocado and mango. It is a country that is about to become a major player in the US export market. It has good labor costs and the climate for year-round product growth, which is very attractive.”

Founded in the north of Magdalena, the Colombian company produces from its Mi Cabañita farm, in the Ciénaga area, located in the village of Cordobita.

It has been exporting to Europe and Canada since 2015, and thanks to foreign trade, it employs 60 families for mango production and export, mostly from farming communities affected by the armed conflict.

“By exporting, we have been able to directly and indirectly help families who would not normally have a job, all thanks to the Magdalena mango we made known to the rest of the world,” said Acosta.

Colombia is exporting sugar mangoes to the United States for the first time. We want many more Colombian products to reach all parts of the world,” President Gustavo Petro said on Twitter.

“One of our government objectives is for the regions to become spearheads for the internationalization of companies, associations and agglomerations. With achievements like this export, which leaves the north of Magdalena, we are striving towards that goal. The regions need to familiarize themselves with their exportability and learn about the internationalization process, we are here to work with them,” assured the Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Germán Umaña Mendoza.

Colfrutta’s exports were supported by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, ProColombia, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, ICA, the Colombian Embassy in the United States, Fedemango and Asohofrucol.

“These exports are an achievement for the country that were achieved thanks to the grower’s efforts to meet all market demands, as well as the inter-institutional support on sanitary and commercial issues for a product such as sugar or baby mangoes that can be a very interesting export alternative for small producers from different regions of the country, especially on the Caribbean coast, but also in departments such as Tolima and Cundinamarca,” explains Carmen Caballero, President of ProColombia.

One of the requirements that the company had to meet is the adaptation of the packing area to the export standards stipulated in the work plan, in order to guarantee a fruit whose appearance does not show any cuts or bruises and does not show any signs of fruit fly damage.

The exporter is also responsible for maintaining traceability and documentation of the process from harvest to shipment to another country, and for quarantining the product while it is in process.




Source: El heraldo

\