PHARR, TX — What started as a simple idea in October 2013 to mark the start of the Mexican produce season has blossomed into a full-fledged celebration of one of the most important points of crossing for fresh fruits and vegetables into the United States from Mexico.

On Oct. 6, members of the Rio Grande Valley produce industry joined Pharr International Bridge officials and state and local politicians to commemorate the 10th year of the Start of the Produce Season event held at the Pharr International Bridge, here.

First up on the dais was Texas state Sen. Juan (Chuy) Hinojosa (D-20), who noted that trade with Mexico continues to grow and is not likely to slow down any time soon. In fact, he said the total trade between Mexico and Texas is bigger than trade between the United States and Germany.

“Trade has increased by five times since the implementation of NAFTA (now known as USMCA), and it continues to grow and produce jobs,” said Sen. Hinojosa. “Currently, it supports more than 500,000 jobs and it is a crucial part of our economy. We understand the tremendous impact of the revenue generated from this industry.”

He noted that 65 percent of the produce that crosses from Mexico arrives via Pharr Bridge, and that there are plans in place to add a second span to help with speed and efficiency, and accommodate future growth.

“We cannot sustain good health without fruits and vegetables, and today we celebrate a very important day for the city of Pharr and the produce industry,” said Sen. Hinojosa.

Pharr Mayor Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez thanked the importers for choosing Pharr Bridge as their point of crossing, acknowledging that there are other choices.

“We are so grateful that you choose Pharr,” he said. “We have great partners who know that time is money, and our goal is to move product as quickly as possible.”

Of the second span, Hernandez said, “We are fully funded and ready to go, but there have been some delays due to supply chain issues.”

He also cited other infrastructure improvements intended to benefit industry and commerce in the Rio Grande Valley, such as upgrades to Military Highway to expedite product being moved to cold storages, and the installation of fiber optic lines to improve communications.

Luis Bazan, director of Pharr International Bridge, addressed the audience to reiterate the importance of the bridge to the produce industry. He said the bridge is the No. 1 crossing point for avocados and pineapples, No. 2 for berries and No. 3 for tomatoes. Over all, the bridge sees an average of 200,000 produce shipments per year.

He also noted that this year’s celebration had the theme “A Taste of Trade,” which featured dishes from some of the region’s top chefs using products that make the crossing at Pharr Bridge each day. Attendees had the opportunity to visit a number of different food stations to sample produce-centric offerings.

Speaking with The Produce News at the conclusion of the event, Bazan said the turnout was the largest ever in the 10 years of the Start of the Produce Season, and is evidence of the growing importance of the Pharr Bridge as Mexican produce imports continue to increase.

“Pharr International Bridge is feeding America,” he said, “and our ‘A Taste of Trade’ theme this year was a way to show consumers where their food comes from.”

He noted that in July, the first shipments of avocados from the Mexican state of Jalisco made their crossing at Pharr Bridge, which is a very encouraging sign of the increased volume expected in the coming years.

Bazan said the second span, which was approved in 2020 but had to go through an environmental impact study, could double the volume of what comes across from Mexico.

“We hope to break ground in 2023, and then it will be about 17 months to build the four additional lanes,” he said.