The annual production of this citrus that was born driven by a soft drink company, leaves $20 million dollars to the northern state of Tamaulipas which is a major exporter to the United States, Canada, Japan and Europe.
CIUDAD VICTORIA, TAMAULIPAS – The production of Italian lemon in Tamaulipas, generates an economic income of $20 million dollars a year, as the Mexican state exports 30 thousand tons of this produce to countries such as the United States, Japan and Europe.
“In Tamaulipas, an area of 4,700 hectares planted with Italian lemon produces 81,000 tons per year, of which 30,000 are exported and the rest are marketed within Mexico”, said the Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER).
The municipalities of Güémez, Padilla, Hidalgo, Victoria and Llera, are the main producers of Italian lemon, which in each harvest produce more 2 thousand temporary and permanent jobs.
In the same region there are 12 packing plants for lemon exports, which are certified by binational authorities.
The Italian lemon cultivation in Tamaulipas grew as a project of the Coca Cola company in the seventies, which was consolidated in 2013, and today the Tamaulipeco lemon can be found in shelves in countries such as Japan, United States and Europe.
“Back in the seventies the Coca Cola company sent researchers from universities in California and Florida to the country to see in which states they could produce Italian lemon with the best quality, to use it as raw material to make the syrup of this international drink,” expalins Miguel Rivera Arias, President of the Asociación Tamaulipeca Exportadora de Citricos.
After touring the country, researchers were recommended to go to Tamaulipas, where a number of orange-tree orchards existed, so they decided to install Italian lemon plantations in municipalities such as Llera, Padilla, Victoria and Hidalgo, to verify the quality conditions in each of the municipalities; and they found out that the entire state was suitable for the development of this type of citrus.
This is how the harvesting of the Italian lemon in Tamaulipas began, first with a pilot plan to sow this fruit in 1,400 hectares with a 10-year purchase contract. As the production continues, now new areas of Mexico are growing the Italian lemon.
ANTONIO DE LA CRUZ FOR EXPRESO.PRESS
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