Mexico foresees a decrease of up to 20% in berry exports

(Agraria.pe) The berry sector, once considered “red gold” for Mexican agricultural exports, faces a difficult situation and anticipates a drop of between 18 and up to 20% in its sales abroad, commented the general director of the National Association of Berry Exporters (Aneberries), Juan José Flores García. He explained that the collapse is due to a combination of several factors, among which climate change and drought stand out, which reduced the quality of the so-called red fruits; the aggressiveness of pests and crop diseases; the exchange rate that hit the export sector in the first months of the year, as well as the lack of qualified labor, the increase in production costs and an economic slowdown in the main consumer markets. According to the director of Aneberries, although berry producing companies are highly technical and efficient in using water, the fruit varieties are not designed for the extreme heat and drought that has been recorded in most of the country. country. ...