Frutesa, one of the pioneers of fresh produce exports from Guatemala, has been shipping mange-tout and sugar snap peas to Europe since 1983. Today the firm is the Central American country’s leading supplier of these vegetables to the EU.
Deputy general manager Clark MacDonald says exports of both lines increased in 2012/13 on the back of strong demand.
“We’ve shipped around 60 tonnes a week to markets such as the UK, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Germany and Spain, where we’ve cemented our reputation as a reliable, quality supplier.”
Given the strength of the market, he points out, export volume could have been much higher had it not been for a series of climatic setbacks including a cold snap and drought conditions at the end of the season which cut output across a number of production zones.
This has spurred the company on to expand its production to a number of new sites in the limestone plateaus and hills to the east and west of the country. A number of these are due to enter commercial production in time for the new season.
Meanwhile, the first exports of Meyer lemons, marketed under the company’s Mayan Meyer Lemon brand, are due to start in time for the pre-Christmas market at the end of 2013.
Guatemala is the only country to grow the variety commercially and MacDonald predicts a great future for this unique product.
“Its smooth and intense flavour is less acidic than other varieties, while it has almost double the juice content of Eureka or Verna lemons. I firmly believe that it has the potential to become a favourite among chefs and consumers alike.”
