Future Outlook
The political climate may foretell change, but chances are any major shifts in international policy or trade will take time. In the meantime, the Pharr International Bridge will continue its pivotal role in trade, especially for fresh fruits and vegetables. With ease of access and further expansion plans on the horizon, most hope and still believe Mexico imports through Texas will continue to surge in the years to come.
With fresh produce, it’s about all the tiny things that line up from plenty of hard work and a little bit of luck that result in a perfect piece of fruit or finished product. “There are many variables,” confirms Salinas. “Nine things have to go right for the tenth to go right as well, and the tenth is importing.”
“In my opinion, if the weather was perfect we would have more produce than what we consume,” remarks Camacho. He foresees the future as “a protected environment for commodities that will allow us any kind of produce during any seasonal time of year.” This is already becoming the norm for growers in Mexico, he says, where shield houses and greenhouses dot the countryside.
Partnerships and communication are also of the utmost importance. “We are deeply affected by what happens on both sides of the border—it’s not like Vegas where everything stays there,” comments Bazan. But with the tenets of hard work, reciprocity, and faith, for those with fresh produce roots in the Rio Grande Valley, the horizon keeps expanding.
Images: Foodpictures, Karin Hildebrand Lau, 3RUS, Artgraphixel/Shuterstock.com
