Mexico Supreme Quality forecasts up to 2,200 fresh produce growers — and 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) — will comprise its list of MexicoGAP-certified suppliers by 2016.
That would be more than a ten-fold increase on current participation, about 200 growers.
At the GlobalGAP Summit Nov. 6-8 in Madrid, the Mexico City-based food safety and quality assurance organization projected 9,900 hectares (about 22,000 acres) will come under the certification within a year.
MexicoGAP is benchmarked to GlobalGAP standards.
To help boost the numbers, Mexico Supreme Quality recently signed an agreement with APEAM, the Association of Michoacán State Avocado Producers and Packers, which represents hass avocados imported into the U.S. from Mexico. That’s expected to establish food safety programs in about 500 orchards covering 8,900 hectares (about 20,000 acres), according to a news release.
Mexico Supreme Quality is funded by growers and by Senasica and Sagarpa, Mexico’s ministries of food safety and agriculture.
In a separate agreement, the organization and the government are backing a contamination risk reduction system with offers of training and technical assistance to growers.
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