Sierra Exportadora's Hass Avocado and Other Fruits Innovation and Industry Program has been carrying out technical assistance to four avocado producing organizations and two municipalities in the Apurimac region, for the implementation of good agricultural practice rules to obtain the GLOBAL G.A.P. certification, which would allow them to export their products directly to Europe.
The technical assistance is being given to the Association of Fruit Producers of Ongoy, the Association of organic producers of the Pampa Valley, the Association of Fruit Producers of Auquibamba, the Cooperative Agrofruticola Bella Abanquina as well as the municipality district of Ongoy and the Provincial Municipality of Chincheros.
This goal is to improve aspects of the production process (especially health), in order to achieve a higher percentage for export. There is also assistance on the logistics of harvesting and control of product quality.
GLOBAL gap certification is the global standard that ensures good agricultural practices, thus obtaining it will also allow producers to access more profitable distribution channels in the European market and access to draw back (total or partial refund of customs duties), which would improve their profitability.
Expectations are the producers will obtain said certificate between the months of November and December. Additionally, they also expect to implement the Fair Trade certification, to avoid the marked fluctuation of prices in the international market.
It is worth noting that the business plan of these associations and local governments with Sierra Exportadora also includes the signing of agreements with local and regional Governments for the co-financing of the implementation of quality standards, as well as negotiation meetings with packing plants and facilitation of trade agreements between producers and packers.
The support of local and regional governments will promote the implementation of a laboratory to measure the index of maturity in each area, and Sierra Exportadora will be in charge of its technical support and training.
Additionally, a consortium of producers of Hass Avocado from the Andes, encompassing associations supported by Sierra Exportadora, will be created to increase the volumes of harvested fruit, which will create the necessity of having a collective brand in the future to be able to improve their negotiating and export position.
