Guatemala expects opening for organic blueberries in the US

Published 2024년 3월 20일

Tridge summary

Guatemala, the second largest exporter of fresh blackberries to the US, is aiming to increase its 2% market share by capitalizing on the high price window between August and September. However, organic blueberries face entry barriers due to high costs from existing protocols. Kultiva Organics Guatemala is working on a cold-treatment program to bypass fumigation and investing in new blueberry plantations. New berry varieties with improved sweetness and consistency are being developed to increase export volumes and reduce air freight costs. With a shortage of strawberries, there is an expected increase in blackberry and blueberry production in Guatemala, aiming to make exports more profitable than local sales.

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Original content

The United States is the main destination for Guatemalan berries, but not all categories of berries are guaranteed access. That is something that the Guatemalan industry is trying to change. Francisco Solórzano, commercial director of Kultiva Organics Guatemala, spoke with PortalFruticola.com last week at Agritrade in Antigua. He said that the main category of berries exported from the country to the US are blackberries. The company, which exports under the Agrocumbre brand, also sends fruit to Europe, Canada and other Central American countries. Blackberries can easily enter the US market, without major restrictions, Solórzano said. That has made the category attractive to Guatemalan producers. "All blackberry exporters in Guatemala send our fruit to Miami by air. There are many flights to this destination every day, so it is an easy route to work with," said Solórzano. Solórzano believes that soon Guatemalan blackberries will be able to compete with Mexico. Guatemala is the ...

Source: MXfruit