The Hortifrutícola Association of Colombia and the National Development Fund Hortifrutícola organized the first Latin American Congress of pineapple, which took place in Villavicencio. In this space unveiled the latest product in production, harvest, postharvest, marketing and logistics.
The event was attended by 200 people, including national and international experts in the field. Similarly attended Alvaro Palacio Ernesto Pelaez, CEO Asohofrucol and Santiago Salazar, Secretary of Agricultural Development (e) of Meta, among others.
In this activity one of the key messages was the importance of partnership between producers, in order to achieve development in competitiveness and productivity in this and other regions.
” The sense of gremialidad for us producers should be very clear, we must think together to expand our market , “saidPalacio Peláez , adding that these efforts producers may achieve better Hortifrutícola offer.
For his part, Secretary of Agricultural Development (e) Metastressed that the region has great potential for pineapple production, taking into account the figures of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to explain that the country has 12 thousand 955 hectares in the country, while in the department’s 350 acres.
” The most interesting thing in the pineapple sector is that of 2012 to 2013 had a growth of about 50% of the planted area, ie, the pineapple is still one of the preferences and that can not be free, there is here vocation and suitable land that is occurring . “
During the activity, the importance of the land in good agricultural practices, in order to optimize the competitiveness also highlighted. “Improving productivity in research and knowledge transfer and good agricultural practices is very important . Here already started that way, the BPA must be applied by pineapple producers, “saidSantiago Salazar .
The academic agenda of the first version of the conference consisted of invited countries such as Canada, Costa Rica and Panama, specialists Bancóldex, the United Nations Food and Agriculture, FAO, representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development The Icontec and Proexrpot who presented topics related to pineapple cultivation, costs of production, agribusiness and logistics.
“If we do not unite as producers, do not make the effort to generate this minimum confidence we need to develop the country, we will not achieve, because we can not expect government policies solve individual problems that we have , ” pointed manager Asohofurcol.
Source: Contextoganadero