On The Radar: North America

Mission Produce’s Donovan confirms the importance of commodity groups: “From the export side, grower assessments to facilitate marketing programs create the voice that effectively speaks for many growers.”

Tips & Tricks
There are no shortcuts, but once a country gains approval for a particular produce item, it becomes simpler for additional items. Each of the professionals interviewed for this article had some pearls of wisdom for those considering a leap into the North American fresh fruit and vegetable market.

United Fresh’s Manes, Donovan of Mission Produce, and PMA’s Tucker all recommended leveraging the unique strengths of various federal agencies, trade organizations, and commodity-specific marketing groups. Manes suggested, “Keep abreast of current policies and utilize your membership in industry organizations.”

Similarly, Donovan added, “Exporters need to understand the market and have good customer/partners. Find a private consultant through the network of commodity associations.”

Tucker put it this way: “There are no magic bullets. Work with U.S. government exporter associations and they’ll help with access, logistics, and marketing.”

Flores of Seald Sweet’s advice was more about crunching numbers and estimating capacity: “Be informed on the market you are trying to access and the ability of that market to absorb volume. Be aware of costs and protocol.”

Equihua emphasized the importance of having the proper guidance, and getting product into the United States ‘the right way.’ “Be disciplined about sending the best quality product,” he warned, as ‘bad’ product will have serious repercussions and could cause retailers to lose trust.

Lastly, Rinker spoke about the need for patience and persistence. “Be diligent—don’t give up! Do your homework and take advantage of resources like Blue Book Services. Customs brokers and freight forwarders can also be very helpful for navigating the system.”

Create Demand and Doors Will Open
Given the ongoing interest of consumers to buy and eat healthy foods, demand for fresh produce in the United States and Canada continues to grow. Meeting this demand takes cooperation between both domestic and international growers, shippers, receivers, and retailers. As in the case of avocados, blueberries, citrus, and a growing number of other fruits and vegetables, imports are vital to keeping these commodities plentiful year round.

For grower-shippers looking to export to North America, the process may seem impossibly long and complex, but with the help of federal agencies, trade organizations, and commodity groups, it is accessible and well worth the effort. Whether supplying exotic fruits, obscure vegetables, or staples, the U.S. and Canadian markets can be very accommodating and represent an enormous trade opportunity.

Image: Shutterstock