Association plays vital role in promoting Guatemalan fruits and vegetables in the US
The Guatemala Produce Trade Association (GPTA) has announced the celebration of its 10th year anniversary. The association aligns leading US importers and industry service providers toward the goal of positively impacting trade of Guatemala grown fruits and vegetables exported to the US.
“October 2025, we’ll celebrate our 10th year Anniversary,” said Priscilla Lleras, GPTA’s executive director. “We have been able to unite the industry’s top importers of Guatemalan fruit and vegetable products to support growth and stimulate brand awareness within the industry for Guatemalan produce.”
At the GPTA’s annual meeting, held in May at the World Trade Center in Miami, members discussed statistics, trade, and logistics, focusing on Guatemala’s agricultural trade with the US. In the meeting, members discussed how Guatemalan produce complements US production by filling in seasonal gaps and providing diverse options, enabling retailers and food service providers to meet the US consumer’s demand for year-round availability.
Robert Colescott, CEO of Southern Specialties and co-chairman of GPTA, expressed support for policies that aim to strengthen the domestic industry and promote the return of manufacturing jobs to the US.
“The fresh produce sector is unique. While tariffs on manufactured goods may encourage domestic production, this principle does not apply to agricultural trade,” he said. “The US lacks the necessary combination of arable land, climate, labor, and water resources to meet the demand for certain fresh produce throughout the entire year.”
US Department of Agriculture/FAS statistics indicate that import quantity variances for processed fruits have increased by 34 per cent, while fresh has slightly decreased by 3 per cent year-over-year. Additionally, the report added that vegetable variances for the fresh category have remained flat year-over-year, while processed vegetable imports have increased by 17 per cent.
During the meeting, Natalia Samayoa, trade commissioner for Guatemala, presented how total exports to the US of fruits and vegetables from January through December 2024 amounted to US$2.8bn.
“The fruit and vegetable industry in Guatemala is responsible for creating over 840,000 jobs,” Samayoa stated. “Guatemala is forward thinking by implementing strategic goals to increase trade by advancing and gaining access into the US market with Guatemala’s avocados.”
Guatemala serves as an important trade partner for the US due to its advantageous proximity. According to Lleras, “Guatemala possesses a competitive edge in providing US retailers and foodservice establishments with specialty fruits and vegetables. In 2024, Guatemala supplied the US with over 180mn lbs of vegetables and more than 5.8bn lbs of fresh fruits, based on USDA/FAS statistics.
In anticipation of GPTA’s 10th Anniversary in October 2025, Jay Rodriguez, CEO of Crystal Valley Foods and co-chairman of GPTA, stated how the association has facilitated networking among US importers. “It has also served as a platform to address opportunities for maximising trade, increasing visibility, and expanding the market share of produce from Guatemala,” he said.
