<p>The industry now has a new way of transporting fresh produce from the West coast of Mexico to the U.S. Midwest and East coast. The new Mazatlan-Matamoros superhighway, also dubbed Supervia, is predicted to drastically change the fresh produce sector in Pharr, Texas and in the country over the coming years. Connecting Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico to Pharr, Texas, this new route for produce transportation provides a more direct route to customers in the Midwest and on the East Coast of the U.S. from regions in Sinaloa.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>In December, Mexican officials held a ribbon cutting for the highway, officially opening the superhighway for business. The new route essentially connects Mazatlan, Sinaloa to deep South Texas. The state of Sinaloa is what some call the bread basket of Mexico with nearly 70-80% of fruits and vegetables originating from this state. Most eyewitness reports regarding the status of the superhighway suggest that construction is approximately 95% complete with small sections still being addressed. Pharr fresh produce imports are predicted to double over the coming years as a result of the new superhighway. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Bret Erickson, Texas International Produce Association, tells AndNowUKnow, "The Pharr International Bridge handles the large majority of the imported produce coming through the Rio Grande Valley from the South. We have seen a significant rise in the number of importers and brokers who are based in Arizona but are expanding their operation's presence in Texas. This is a business decision that makes sense for many of these importers as the new highway in Mexico creates a pipeline into and through South Texas for a faster and less expensive route into Midwest and East Coast markets."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The Texas International Produce Association has been a huge advocate of the superhighway project. The company recently changed its name from the Texas Produce Association to the Texas International Produce Association as it has opened its membership guidelines and now includes international importers. The Association has seen a 50% increase in membership during the past 2 years alone.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Traveling the superhighway is more cost-effective both short and long term. Some statistics show that companies can save between $1,500 to $2,500 a trip in diesel and driver costs. For those travelling between Pharr and Dallas, time spent is a third of the three days it takes to travel from Nogales to Dallas. Shorter and speedier transportation times allow for fresher produce to be distributed to markets on the East coast, offering more days on the shelf.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Drivers can shave between 6 and 8 hours of drive time depending upon their intended destination to the Midwest markets or the East Coast.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>“Saving 6-8 hours at a minimum along with approximately 800$ per load in diesel and driver costs, is significant for any company,” Bret tells me.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>“Take the driver that is making a round trip from Mazatlan to Chicago and back. A trucking company could save over $3,000 in driver and fuel costs. There are different estimates, but the savings are remarkable,” he reflects.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The association contracted a study with Texas A&M Center for North American Studies to create a trade study on fresh produce growth in the coming years. Numbers revealed that by 2020, Texas ports of entry could receive 360,000 loads of produce. In 2012, Texas was already reporting 160,000 loads crossing in from the state’s several points of entry. The survey also projects jobs in the industry could double by around 7,200.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>There is a surge of produce coming, Bret tells me. Texas has quite a bit to look forward to…more freight, more produce, and more jobs… which is good for all of us!</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.texasproduceassociation.com/index.asp" target="_new">Texas International Produce Association</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
