Mexico: Leave the office to produce berries

09/06/2016

Alicia Eguiarte made the decision to leave her office job to start a business in the cultivation of berries in Jalisco.

The young entrepreneur, supported by her father, decided to venture into the agribusiness with the production of organic cranberry in Sayula, with an initial investment that reached three million pesos for a hectare and a half of cultivation, obtained support from the Government of Jalisco for this, but the check given only covers a tenth of the money he injected into his young business.

Producing organic blueberries has a higher cost than those produced conventionally, the former must have a special growth in pots, the fertilizers and pesticides used are completely natural, says Eguiarte that the fruits that occur in their lands they can be eaten directly from the plant.

The reward before the investment is that a box of organic cranberry with two kilos reached this year the value of the 700 pesos, while the conventional round between the 300 and 350 pesos.

She is a micro producer, blueberries are sold to the company Berries Paradise, who is responsible for exporting the product to the United States and Europe, mainly; According to business projections, it expects to start recovering its investment in the third year of continuing as a producer.

"My first year was not very good as expected, it is a long-term crop, it is assumed that the plant lasts from seven to 10 years and from the third one the investment is recovered, it is two years of investing"explained the businesswoman.

DELIVERY SUPPORTS FOR BERRIES PRODUCERS

The Government of Jalisco provided support to producers of berries from different regions of the State, for four million 780 thousand pesos, destined to improve irrigation systems, vegetative material, equipment, warehouses and implements.

In the municipality of Tuxpan, State Governor Aristóteles Sandoval Díaz, gave the departure signal to 10 tons of blueberries that will be transported by sea to Singapore, bought and exported by the Mexican-Chilean company, Berries Paradise, based in this region.

It is expected that the incentive delivered to producers will help reduce costs by up to 30 percent and increase the 25 percent yield, in addition to generating five jobs per hectare.

Currently Jalisco berries exports are destined in an 80 percent to the United States, nine to Europe, five to Asia and three percent to other countries. This industry generates around 20 thousand jobs.

Source: Cronicajalisco.com