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“Even though our imports are certified for safety, sales came to a complete halt for one month,” Sanchez contends. “We sell more cilantro than anything else, so if we’re not selling for a month, that’s really something.”
For companies like Empacadora GAB, one of the biggest challenges has been a lack of personnel at border crossings. The increase in border traffic has given rise to slower inspections and longer delays. “It hasn’t affected us as a company, but on the service side it is slower going across the border,” Usabiaga says. “The government has been cutting back on inspectors and training, so there are fewer people but more volume. Longer inspections can affect product quality or sometimes result in a complete loss of product.”
A Future of Opportunity
Despite some obstacles and uncertainty, the Rio Grande Valley’s economic engine continues to gather steam and move forward. Imports are up, planting acreage is up, and the mood is mostly buoyant, full of hope for the future.
Nowhere is this more evident than at San-Rey Produce. The company has plans to build a supermarket near its headquarters at the McAllen terminal market. The design features a retail location, smaller than a Walmart or an H-E-B grocery store, selling only fresh produce. According to Sanchez, the retailer will stock an expanded menu of San-Rey’s current fruit, vegetable, and herb offerings. In addition, the site will include refrigerated space to accommodate a number of products, such as papaya and bananas, for example, that require storage at specific temperatures.
Diaz of Fresh Imports points to this kind of expansion and construction as evidence of The Valley’s increasing allure. “New producers, packers, and growers have an eye on The Valley now,” he says. “If you’re there, you’re a good importer, and you do things right, there will be endless opportunities.”
Images: ©iStock.com/Pamela Moore, Viktar & David Hughes
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