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The new state-of-the-art packhouse in Colombia
La Dona Fruit, one of the leading producers and exporters of fresh golden pineapples and tropical fruits in Latin America, announced the official opening this week of its Valle Verde packhouse and coldstore for Tahiti limes in Apartadó, Antioquia, in the north of Colombia.
The 1,542m2 facility, equipped with the most advanced packing technology in Colombia, making it one of the most innovative in Latin America. The packhouse is located strategically within Colombia’s Free Trade Zone in Urabá. Farmfolio, an agricultural investment management firm, manages this pioneering packhouse. The machinery is equipped with modules for infra-red sorting, sanitising, drying, waxing and classification. By the end of the year, the facility will be certified by GlobalGAP and SMETA.
Dax Cooke, Farmfolio’s Founder and La Dona’s Head of Global Marketing and Sales, said this packhouse is primarily for limes, and this is their biggest difference. He explained that all other limes packing facility in Colombia are primarily focused on avocados. La Dona Fruit is able to screen limes accurately, it has the logistical channels to distribute limes effectively, and it has agronomy programs in place with the growers to guarantee the top quality limes. “I truly believe that Valle Verde will change the landscape for limes in Colombia for years to come,” added Cooke.
The state-of-the-art facility will secure La Dona's goal of becoming the largest limes exporter in Colombia and will serve as a launching pad for expanding exports to the USA and the Caribbean, to complement existing business in Europe. The packhouse has the capacity to pack 1,000 tons of Tahiti limes each month for export.
Oscar Baracaldo, La Dona’s Head of Customer Experience, commented: “Colombia can supply limes for 52 weeks of the year, and we will be focusing on specific windows to plug the gaps in global production from September to November, and from January to March.”
By having Valle Verde packhouse, according to Baracaldo, the company remove the need for third party players. La Dona Fruit buy the limes directly from the growers in order to pack and ship directly from their facility. “Our intention is to produce the highest quality limes in Colombia all year round. That way, we can achieve a better price for our growers and a better offer for our customers", he concluded.
La Dona Fruit is one of the leading producers and exporters of fresh golden pineapples and tropical fruits in Latin America. Founded in 1977, the company has grown from a one-acre family farm in the coastal lowlands of Panama to a thriving export business.
More information on company’s website.
