Mexico Calidad Suprema – the national quality certification scheme for Mexican agriculture – is currently touring Europe in a bid to raise awareness of the programme among European buyers and importers.
MCS is this week hosting both press and trade meetings in London, Paris, Rotterdam and Brussels to communicate the significant steps made by the organisation to certify growers, packers and suppliers under MexicoGAP – the agricultural standard benchmarked against GlobalGAP in 2006.
“We want to show how much has been done in Mexico to meet the requirements of our clients,” Fernando Fernández, director of global promotion for MCS, told Fruitnet.com.
An increasing number of Mexican suppliers are becoming certified by the standard in an effort to diversify their export presence on the European market.
“Mexico sees opportunities to explore new markets in Europe,” Mr Fernández explained. “We know Europe is a good option because it’s demanding products and standards which Mexico has.”
MCS sees particular potential in the UK, France and the Netherlands for grapefruit, Persian limes, avocados, mangoes, table grapes bananas, pineapples and papayas from Mexico.
The fruit industry currently represents 48 per cent of all MCS-certified companies, while the vegetable sector accounts for a further 15 per cent.
Between 2008 and 2010 the number of MCS-certified companies has risen by an impressive 125 per cent.
So far in 2011, MCS has carried out 107 audits in the fresh produce sector, mainly within the berry, avocado, Persian lime and herb industries.
