As you know, I am an agro-passionate. For me, the agricultural world represents not only entertainment, but also dedication and commitment. My passion lies in understanding the impact that agriculture can have on poverty reduction, and I have a personal mantra that guides me: “We must think beyond our selfish existence”.

Therefore, I am dedicated to sharing knowledge and fostering discussions on a topic that I am deeply passionate about and that I consider crucial for our country, given its undeniable agricultural vocation.

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Colombia’s agricultural exports have undergone a remarkable evolution, and the year 2022 marked a milestone in this process. Despite the economic challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, non-mineral-energy agricultural exports exceeded US$7 billion.

The export basket, led by emblematic products such as coffee, continues to be a proud manifestation of our nation. Although we have lost ground in the international scenario, we have not renounced our position as a coffee growing country.

In fact, with a joint effort of peasant organizations and the National Federation of Coffee Growers, we have managed to establish ourselves as a niche for specialty coffees, which demonstrates our capacity for adaptation and resilience.

However, what I am most excited about is to direct attention towards what I consider to be the new jewels of our exports. During 2022, exports of fresh vegetables grew surprisingly, registering an 11% increase, with total sales exceeding US$26 million.

It is relevant to highlight this segment, as it is often overshadowed by traditional crops. This growth trend points to a significant potential in the diversification of our export basket.

This success is no coincidence. The international food market is in constant transformation, and Colombia is well positioned to take advantage of it. China and India, two emerging powers, are showing increasing interest in purchasing vegetables.

To give context, China consumed a staggering $89 billion worth of fresh vegetables during 2022. These figures give us a clear picture of the immense potential ahead of us. Moreover, our geographic location and climatic diversity give us a unique competitive advantage in meeting the demands of these markets.

The road to consolidating our agricultural exports is not one we must travel alone. Entities such as ProColombia and other institutions are ready to provide technical and logistical assistance to facilitate this process.

The growing focus on agricultural exports, centered on products such as vegetables, paprika, exotic fruits and blueberries, is becoming a reality that we cannot ignore.

This is the right time to join forces and capitalize on the “blue oceans” of opportunity. The consolidation of strong agricultural export lines is within our grasp. The numbers speak for themselves, and they do so with a tone of enthusiasm and promise. The decision to strengthen this export potential is in the hands of farmers and peasants in Colombia.

Speaking from my personal experience, which spans more than 15 years exporting agricultural products, I can affirm that once the process is internalized, it becomes easier.

In Colombia we have a wide range of entities willing to provide support in the consolidation of documents, port management, negotiation with shipping companies and logistical aspects. This support makes the process smoother and less intimidating.

So what are we waiting for? It’s time to enrich our export basket and become leaders in an ever-evolving global market. The potential is real and the opportunities are tangible, as our land has much to offer the world in terms of high quality, high value agricultural products.

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Agricultural exports from Colombia not only represent an economic potential, but also an opportunity to position the country as a leading player on the global food scene.

The diversification of the export basket and the opening of new market niches are essential to make the most of our agricultural potential. With the support of the entities in the industry, collaboration among farmers and a focus on innovation, we are taking firm steps towards a bright and sustainable agricultural future.

To conclude this column, I would like to draw attention once again to the processes of formalization of the agricultural industry and the need to implement greater financial support for the Colombian peasantry.

In the last few days we have had news of an estimated increase of 100,000 million pesos in credit quotas focused on agricultural infrastructure, but the truth is that these figures contrast with the lack of budgetary execution by the Ministry of Agriculture.

I do not want to make a destructive criticism of the management of the executive branch and its dependencies; I only seek to call attention to the need for coherence. It is not possible that we publicly discuss the need to take advantage of the agricultural potential to provide food security and increase the agro-export basket, but at the same time fail to execute the entire budget allocated for this portfolio, which focuses mainly on accompanying, strengthening and structuring sustainable and scalable agricultural projects and models.

We need to go beyond rhetoric. I am one of those convinced that the Ministry of Agriculture must be given a larger budget, but this must definitely be accompanied by a high capacity for execution.

This is the only way we will be able to see agriculture playing its rightful role in our economy and helping Colombia to position itself as the agricultural pantry it is destined to become.

The evolution of agricultural machinery