Eleven Rivers presents in the Proméxico training program the conference: Practical Tips to Export Fresh Food

Within the framework of the Training Program in International Trade carried out by PROMÉXICO, on August 7, 2018, the Panel: Practical Tips for Exporting Fresh Food, in which the director of Eleven Rivers Growers, Mr. Raymundo Elizalde Gastelo had a participation.

Mr. Elizalde spoke about the main risks faced by agricultural companies in Sinaloa currently in the international market focused on the evolution of market requirements, understanding the needs of consumers that are acquiring and gaining their suppliers over time.

In the 80’s quality was the most important thing that buyers demanded from agricultural producers, physical appearance was decisive, size, consistency, color. Since 1990, food safety has become more important and, starting in 2010, social responsibility among the main international buyers has become a relevant issue. In the immediate future, starting in 2020, the North American market will begin to turn with great interest towards compliance with sustainability standards, things that are already required, for example in the European market but in the United States market it is in process.

The safety systems have been evolving over time, in 1997 the food safety initiative for domestic and imported products came out, in 1998 the first commercial schemes and certification bodies appeared, in 2000, the outbreaks of contamination of melons and also the first official protocols in Mexico, in 2003, appears the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act , which had an important section on the issue of food and 2011 the Food Safety Modernization Act is published that completely transforms the global food safety and security landscape.

The most relevant aspects of food safety that must be taken care of are: First, the management systems, which allow having a continuous improvement system and that establishes a documentation system with which all activities and processes can be sustained that they develop; Of course, another important issue is traceability, integrated pest management and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point).

In the case of sustainable development, we must have a balance of business goals and we must act responsibly in three important aspects: The company’s social impact, the impact on the environment and the economic impact, we must look for the balance between these three points in order to make the activities sustainable.

When we talk about Social Responsibility in the agricultural sector, we focus on the following main points: The companies that have day laborers’ shelters, which have people who have been hired, must look for the quality of life of their workers, they must look for general working conditions that comply with current legislation, social programs that deal with health, with education, day care, family day care, safety at work and institutional coordination with the federal government and other institutions of private initiative to be able to provide all these services to day laborers.

Regarding environmental responsibility, 7 important aspects must be taken in the agricultural sector: Legal use of water, rational use of energy, rational use of water, wastewater management, proper waste management, legal origin of wood and reforestation.