The Texas Tropics

Unlike the Pharr Bridge, it is privately owned. As a result, it can offer advantages its federal counterparts cannot—and crossing double trailers is one of these perks. Due to weight restrictions on federal bridges, trucks coming in from Mexico can typically cross only one tractor trailer at a time. Not so at the Progreso Bridge, which has neither the weight restrictions nor the congestion of the larger bridges.

“Growers in Mexico end up paying for overweight freight charges and inspection delays at Pharr,” Troppy says. “For someone who ships 1,000 loads a year, right off the top they have saved $120,000 per year because overweight permits cost $120 each—that’s real money.”

Sandra Sanchez, manager at San-Rey Produce, Inc. based at the McAllen Produce Terminal Market, points to the convenience of having the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge just down the road. “We import from Sinaloa and Puebla, and we’re close to the bridge,” she explains. “That makes it much easier to send our produce up to New York and the rest of the Northeast. It’s a big advantage to our location.”

Ruiz thinks about the big picture: “I can see this region growing bigger and bigger until it becomes the main import point for any produce bound to the eastern United States.”

Supply, Demand, Shipping
Strong demand for more produce has also been a boon for growers on the U.S. side of the border. There has, according to Erickson of TIPA, been a resurgence of vegetable acreage in Texas. From beets, broccoli, and cabbage to onions, peppers, and turnips—there are many types of vegetables that thrive in Lone Star soil. The climate, growing conditions, and availability of land are an ideal combination for both new and veteran growers.

“Every year we see a slow decline in agricultural production acres because of a globalized economy, labor issues, water, politics, and the capital-intensive nature of getting into the business,” notes Erickson. “But you have rising demand and a growing population, and the food has to come from somewhere. The Valley still has plenty of acreage available for production.”

This does not mean there aren’t acres of vegetables and herbs, along with orange and grapefruit groves in the area. Cilantro, dandelions, and dill are grown there along with an increasing variety of leafy greens such as Chinese cabbage, collards, endive, escarole, and frisée, as well as turnips and kohlrabi.

The Superhighway
The recently completed InterOceanic Highway, also known as the Supervía, has also helped attract more business to the area. It runs from Mazatlán to Matamoros and is frequented by trucks bringing produce to customers and consumers in Texas and beyond. By some measures, the new highway has cut drive times by as much as six to eight hours.