“The weather has been a big issue, and we don’t have as much product,” admits Soraya Londono, assistant manager of sales at Miami Agro Import, Inc., a produce distributor that imports from Guatemala. “In Guatemala, some seasons they get no rain and other seasons they get too much, which impacts the crops.”
Regulations, Rules & Mandates
Regulations that could potentially impact international trade are an ongoing concern for Miami produce suppliers—and with good reason. As Ramos mentions, the rules and regulations for imported fruits and vegetables continue to change and evolve.
This includes the Sanitary Transportation of Food rule for importers, part of the pending Food Safety Modernization Act rollout in March of this year and overseen by the USDA and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recently finalized Foreign Supplier Verification Program is another component of the process, placing further pressure on importers to thoroughly vet all their suppliers.
Fortunately, Ramos notes, most of Miami’s government personnel are not only supportive and ‘pro-trade’ but know a critical part of the equation is to keep perishables moving, fully understanding “the importance of expedited clearances and the handling of fruits and vegetables.”
