AMHPAC's CEO Alfredo Diaz Discusses Upcoming 8th Annual Convention in Puerto Vallarta Jordan Okumura - AMHPAC
go to original July 22, 2015

National and international leaders of the horticultural industry, agricultural growers, government officials, and supply chain innovators will be converging in Puerto Vallarta next month, for an event not to be missed.

The event you ask? AMHPAC’s 8th Annual Convention located at the Sheraton Buganvilias® Resort & Convention Center on August 27th-28th. So, mark your calendars and sign up now to meet with some of the industry’s pioneers, politicians, and up-and-comers.

Alfredo Diaz, CEO, AMHPAC

“With this event, we are creating a space where members can meet, collaborate, and contribute on those issues that are affecting their business,” Alfredo Diaz, AMHPAC’s CEO, tells me. “AMHPAC is providing a program with topics that are priorities for the daily operations of our attendees. This makes the annual convention an ideal event for both the producer and the supplier of goods and services as well as a great place for creating new business opportunities and cultivating established relationships.”

As for the impact that Mexican produce has on the world market, Trade Information from Mexico's Tariff Information System via Internet (SIAVI for its initials in Spanish), shows that in 2014, 91.6% of all Mexican produce exports were destined to the United States. Canada was the second biggest destination for Mexican produce exports that year with 1.7%, Japan third with 1.1% and the remaining 5.7% is distributed between 87 other countries, Spain, Turkey, Guatemala and the Netherlands being the 4th through 7th places.

“That is out of a total of 9.1 million metric tons of Mexican fruits and vegetables. That clearly has an impact on the world market, but nowhere is our produce nearly as important as it is in the United States,” Mr. Diaz adds.

During the event, attendees will address topics that include organic agriculture, management of root-knot nematode, and social responsibility. Also on the ticket are topics ranging from Assurance Protected Horticulture, Leadership Development, Climate Change and its impact on protected agriculture, to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Sustainable Agriculture, and the Economic and socio-political environment of Mexico.

To kick off the event, the organization will be hosting its 2nd Annual AMHPAC Race on Thursday, August 27th with two categories: the 5K and 10K. To sign up, please send a request to jmgaxiola@amhpac.org.  The annual opening will also be held on the 27th with dignitaries from around the country.

“One of the many highlights of this year’s Convention is AMHPC’s 4th Commercial Mission,” Mr. Diaz noted. “This event will allow Mexican growers the chance to meet with major traders as well as both retail and wholesale executives from the United States and Canada to inspire business opportunities and discussions.”

Read the rest at AMHPAC.