Growing demand for Colombian exotic fruits has put passion fruit and physalis in the spotlight of international markets.
"The passion fruit is our flagship product nowadays," said Andrés Riaño, general manager of ISASHII. With an annual export volume of 400,000 kilos, this fruit has established itself in European markets, especially in countries such as Germany and the Netherlands. Physalis also has a significant presence, with exports of around 90,000 kilos per year.
One of the main challenges that the company faces is export logistics, especially from Colombia. Strikes and long distances to ports hinder operations and increase costs. "We have many challenges to overcome. The strikes, for example, paralyze everything so we are left with the product," Riaño stated. He then highlighted the importance of improving air routes to reduce costs.
"Sending the passion fruit and physalis by sea takes approximately 14 days. The fruits are selected at a stage of maturity that allows them to withstand transit and guarantee the customer a shelf life of at least five weeks, which includes transport and storage time," Riaño said.
Despite these challenges, ISASHII has managed to expand beyond Europe. The company is venturing into countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and Brazil, and has its sights set on the United States, with both fresh and processed fruit. Riaño stressed that developing processed products is a strategic opportunity for the company: "We want to cover the entire process to give our producers an extra something and the security that all of the production will be used and not just the fruits that are exported."
Climate change has also affected fruit production in Colombia. High temperatures and low rainfall reduced production volumes this year decreasing the supply available for export. "Summer was very strong in Colombia and affected many plantations," says Riaño. He also said the pandemic has had an impact on the demand for fruit.
However, this shortage has driven up prices. "The passion fruit went from 5 euros to 10 or 11 euros," he said. This situation is favorable in the short term. The market can be cyclical and, in the future, an oversupply can bring down prices, he added.
He also said the company implements environmentally friendly practices, such as using natural products for pest control and incorporating solar energy to reduce energy consumption. The company has GlobalGAP and IFS certifications and is preparing to obtain SMETA certification in 2025, which guarantees that its products meet international standards.
"We hope we can export our processed products to Europe and the United States next year. One of our main goals is to increase the presence of passion fruit in the market, to go from 400,000 to 600,000 kilos per year in 2025, and to enter the market with Hass avocado and Tahiti lime by sea."
ISASHII will be at Fruit Attraction in Hall 4, Stand 4D04. Their participation in this event is key to expanding their commercial relations, exploring new opportunities in international markets, and learning about the latest technological innovations applicable to producing and exporting exotic fruits, such as passion fruit and physalis.
For more information:
Andrés Riaño (general manager)
ISASHII SAS
Colombia
Tel: +57 318 510 60 24
Email: [email protected]
www.isashii.co