The Secretary of Agro-Food Development and Rural Development of Oaxaca, Víctor López Leyva, has communicated that after the damage caused by Hurricane 'John' last year, papaya production in the state faces a shortage that could extend throughout the year. Oaxaca is the main papaya producer at the national level and ranks fifth globally.
To address the situation, producers have received support through credits and liquid guarantees with the goal of resuming papaya production to its maximum capacity as soon as possible. Despite these efforts, the shortage could impact Oaxaca for much of the year.
One of the problems faced by Oaxaca is the lack of certification to export papaya directly to the United States, as the fruit is currently shipped through Chiapas. Although progress has been made in obtaining certification in certain parcels, climatic events such as the rains caused by Hurricane 'John' have affected this process.
Secretary Víctor López mentioned that economic support is being provided to producers, with incentives of up to 3 million pesos, to promote the regularization of prices and papaya production. Despite the difficulties, it is expected that the shortage will be temporary and that no further problems will arise in the near future.
Specifically, areas such as Pinotepa Nacional, Huazolotitlán, Jamiltepec, and Tututepec have been the most affected by the papaya shortage. It has been highlighted that 80 percent of the papaya production in Jamiltepec is destined for Walmart, which has led producers to explore new alternatives given the current situation.
Authorities have emphasized the importance of implementing measures that guarantee access to benefits for all producers, while working to increase papaya production and obtain the necessary certification to export to the United States.
