According to ProColombia, some 275 Colombian agribusiness products, including cocoa, quinoa, exotic fruits like gulupa and gooseberries, confectionery, fresh flowers, bakery, and products from the milling industry, have a chance in the European market.
“The European Union has become a hub for the agroindustrial sector. It is one of the largest importers in the world and a market that offers Colombian entrepreneurs a trade agreement with tariff advantages,” said Maria Claudia Lacouture, president of ProColombia.
According to data from TradeMap, in 2014 Europe purchased 594,878 million dollars in agribusiness products, i.e. almost 40 times the amount of Colombia’s non mining and hydrocarbons exports in 2015.
Additionally, Colombia has had a trade agreement with the EU since 2013 so it can export its main 100 export products with no tariffs to the European Union, including fresh bananas. Without the trade agreement, 71 of these products would have to pay tariffs, and 36 of these would pay a tariff above the 10%.
When compared to 2014, the agroindustrial sector had the highest growth in 2015, as it amounted to 359.7 million dollars, i.e. 19.2% more than in the previous year, mainly thanks to banana, oils, and fats.
Sweden demands fresh fruit because the trend is eating healthy and natural foods. In particular, there has been an increase in the consumption of fruits and organic products. As such, the pineapple has potential in this market.
Another fruit with a high potential is the Hass avocado. “We have proposals in Belgium and England. We know that there are opportunities in Germany and in the Nordic countries, where the avocado is considered an exotic fruit. They pay better prices and recognize the Colombian product. They actually call us the sleeping giant of the Hass avocado market,” said Juliana Florez, commercial director of Hato La Macana, a Colombian company that exported its first 67 tons of avocados to Spain this year.
These are some of the products that the European buyers who went to Colombia to do business in ProColombia’s 60 Business Roundtable, which was held between March 17 and the 18 in Corferias, were looking for.
Source: Fresh Plaza