jueves, marzo 28, 2024
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Guatemala has great opportunities to increase exports of peas to Canada

For more than 15 years, Canadian families have purchased peas grown and produced in Guatemala.

After several years of hard work from AGEXPORT’s Peas and Vegetables Commission and the Guatemala’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, on 2017 the country achieved a tolerance level of 5 ppm on the chlorothalonil chemical used for growing peas. This level was required by Canadian authorities to accept Guatemalan peas into their market.

Following the achievement of this tolerance level, Guatemala continued its efforts and on February 21st, the Canadian government officially notified the World Trade Organization that Canada would continue requiring a 5.0 ppm level on chlorothalonil for agriculture products on Group 6, subgroup 6A.

This decision from the Canadian government opens the possibility for Guatemala to increase our exports of peas to this North American country. Nowadays, Canada does not represent a key market for our agriculture products, but this decision opens new possibilities; said Mr. Antonio Malouf, former president of AGEXPORT.

A controlled usage of chlorothalonil helps peas growers to increase productivity and quality to their products. It is also a chemical widely accepted on international markets such as the United States, Europe and now Canada.

We give special thanks to our Foreign Affairs Ministry and specially to our ambassador at the Organization of American States, our ambassador in Canada and public officers at the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry for giving close attention to this matter that helped more than 65,000 families of peas growers on rural areas of the Guatemala’s Highlands; said Mrs. Fanny D. Estrada, AGEXPORT’s Public Relations Manager.

Peas are grown all year round on departments like Sacatepequez, Chimaltenango and Solola. On smaller amounts, peas are also produced in San Marcos and Quiche, on bordering areas with Mexico. Being able to increase exports to Canada represents more opportunities to Guatemalan producers on these areas.

These types of news increase our competitiveness as a country and as agriculture firms. With this in mind, we are ready to host our next edition of AGRITRADE Expo & Conference, which will take place on March 21-23, 2019. We already have 150 international buyers from Canada, the United States, Spain, Central America, among others; said Mr. Estuardo Castro, member of AGEXPORT’s Directory Board and President of AGRITRADE’s Organizing Committee.

AGRITRADE Expo & Conference 2019 is currently the most important platform for networking and business-making in the Central American region. This year, AGRITRADE will promote actions to widen the country’s number of agriculture products that are offered abroad, with activities such as the 1st edition of Guatemala Coffee Trade, where specialty coffees will be sold on a bidding event. This Expo & Conference will also host pavilions of other Central American countries, offer special dishes made by renown chefs with Guatemalan products and, for the first time, give a special award for innovative agriculture companies.

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