Producers from Nariño (Colombia) export Tahiti lime to Europe and the Caribbean

As a result of a new commercial alliance with a Colombian exporter, 131 small producers in the municipalities of Leiva and El Rosario (Nariño, Colombia) exported 15 tons of Tahiti lime to Europe and the Caribbean.

 

This was achieved thanks to the accompaniment of the International Trade Center (ITC) through the project "Colombia PUEDE: peace and unity through productive development and trade", financed by the European Union, through the European Trust Fund for Peace.

 

The commercial agreement brought a profit of 35 million pesos (about $8.900) for the producers of the fruit and was established between 6 producer associations from the north of Nariño and the fruit exporter Managro Fresh. Currently, the beneficiaries of the agreement total more than 60 hectares planted from which 821 tons of Tahiti lime are harvested per year.

 

According to Omar Hidalgo, lime producer and partner of the Campo Bello Association, this alliance with Managro arose because Colombia PUEDE was helping them find new clients. First, Managro visited them to see farms and there they noticed that they have good agronomic management and that their fruit has excellent quality. Soon they made the first shipment.

 

Since 2016, Managro Fresh has exported Hass avocado, Tahiti lime, mango and pineapple to Europe, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United States and Argentina.

 

Colombia PUEDE works to strengthen scenarios of trust with lemon associations, to achieve the exchange of knowledge in production and marketing of the Tahiti lime. The purpose of all this work is to increase productivity and improve the quality of the fruit, and, as a consequence, that the farmers have a better quality of life.

 

Recently, the project supported the process of obtaining the Export Farm Registry for 55 new producers, thus opening the possibility of new exports of this fruit. The objective for the coming months is to ensure that at least 61 additional farmers obtain the registration granted by the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA). In addition, 22 farms are preparing for the Global G.A.P and Organic certifications, which will allow them to enter new markets with a better price.

 

Milena Ñañez, producer of the Santa Lucía association, commented that the alliance with Managro has been of great benefit. They have a higher income of capital to their homes, since the price of the lime grew 15% (compared to what they received before), a value that is fair and stable. She also thanked ITC and the European Union for the support of the small producers of Nariño.

 

ITC, or the International Trade Center is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, whose objective is to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries to be more competitive in international markets, thus contributing to sustainable economic development within the framework of the Aid for Trade program and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.