Mexico: Etzatlán is the leading producer of bell pepper

Fernando Antonio Nava Aguilar, the Coordinator of Horticultural Development of the Ministry of Rural…

Fernando Antonio Nava Aguilar, the Coordinator of Horticultural Development of the Ministry of Rural Development (Seder) of Jalisco, said Etzatlán was the nationwide leading producer of bell peppers.

He said that a determining factor for the municipality’s leading position was the fresh export of this type of pepper.

According to him, bell pepper production was a strong example that the fields in Jalisco had transformed by introducing highly profitable crops that were in line with the market trends of producing healthy food.

State wise, he said, Jalisco ranks second in the production of bell peppers and only Guanajuato surpasses it. However Etzatlán is the leading municipality nationwide, he added.

He emphasized that, in 2014, Jalisco produced 17,848 tons of bell peppers, 9,870 of which were produced in Etzatlán.

Nava Aguilar said that other municipalities that also had a relevant production were Lagos de Moreno, Atotonilco El Alto, Ahualulco de Mercado, and Poncitlan.

"Tamazula de Gordian also has a very technified, good production project," he said.

According to him, Etzatlán is the leading producer of bell peppers because of the advantages of a stable microclimate that has no marked ups and downs in its thermal conditions, the great market knowledge that the Divemex company has, and the higher investments that this company is performing in greenhouse facilities.

He stressed that the company strategies to penetrate the export market had been crucial to the sustained growth experienced by pepper production in Jalisco.

The cultivation of peppers requires large amounts of investment, he said. Producers have to invest in greenhouses, seeds, and irrigation equipment, among other thing. "Greenhouse equipment alone costs about three million pesos. Additionally producers must pay the plants and operating costs are about six and a half or seven million pesos," he said. Fortunately, profits are much higher than expenses, he added.