Background

Papaya is an indigenous crop in the south of Mexico and Central America which easily adapts to tropical and subtropical zones around the globe.

In recent years, the papaya "Maradol Papaya"(so called for its high production and ever-rising demand) has awakened great interest in Mexican agricultural investors. Papaya has become an excellent alternative for the development of high production agricultural projects which are capable of generating permanent employment in the fields.

Mexico is far and away the world leader in papaya exportation. In the last 10 years, Mexico has directed its attention to the United States, the world's largest export market. However, greater organization is needed to maintain the current trade in this special market. Other Caribbean and Central America have taken advantage of Mexico's distracted interest and dedicated themselves to establishing a papaya trade of their own in the United States. Mexico has several advantages in respect to the others exporting countries: first, its proximity to the US; and second, its diverse production zones throughout in the Mexican territory, and the third, and perhaps most important, the clear preference of the North American consumers both in the U.S. and Canada for Mexican papaya.

Papaya can be planted with excellent results in the greater part of Mexico's territory. Nonetheless, both the national and international consumer markets have a particular preference for the papaya produced in southeast of Mexico. Experts consider the geographical position combined with the quality of the soil to be a primary factors in the determining this special preference.

A MonteRico through the years

• In 1998, MonteRico was the first group in Chiapas to successfully develop a technical cultivation of papaya.
• In 2000, MonteRico began export to the United States with its own brand from Chiapas.
• In 2001, MonteRico became a constant presence at the most important trade show worldwide.
• In 2002, MonteRico became the first Mexican brand of papaya to sell in Europe.
• In 2003, MonteRico reached 22% of total U.S. papaya importation.
• In 2004, the state of Campeche exported papaya to the U.S. for the first time under the MonteRico brand name.
• In 2005, the first sample of papaya was sent to Tokio, Japan.
• In 2006, new agricultural development partners were added to the MonteRico group.
• In 2007, the state of Oaxaca exported papaya to the U.S. for the first time under MonteRico brand name.
• In 2008, operations were consolidated in the southeast of Mexico.
• In 2009, "Synergy Chiapas" was initiated.