30,000 farmers and packers, a dream come true.

The highest authorities from the avocado industry will be accommodated in one single place: Casa APEAM (“APEAM House”). This is consolidating a 2-year dream of avocado farmers.

The Association of Producers and Packers – Exporters of Avocado from Mexico (APEAM) opened these facilities, where the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will operate, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) and APEAM staff.

This initiative is made with the purpose of facilitating the procedure, as well as there is a greater organization for avocado exports from Mexico.

The facilities also have a research unit and technical projects, by which studies will be developed to eradicate diseases affecting the tree and the fruit, controlling pests and improving both plant health and food safety actions to increase productivity of orchards without growing in hectares.

The space is made up 12,000 square meters (14,351.88 yards) on a four-hectare land, and will include the avocado museum, a specialized restaurant and an auditorium with a capacity for 1,000 people.

Also, the facilities may serve as a convention center and as another tourist point for the municipality of Uruapan, Michoacán.

Casa APEAM is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, which is worldwide recognized as a sustainable, environmental-friendly building.

During the opening ceremony, which brought together farms and packers, the board of directors from the association recognized the valuable and significant support of importers affiliated to the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA) for achieving the construction of the new facilities, an investment of 12 million dollars.

Finally, for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Casa APEAM made official the entrance of the new board of directors, same that will be chaired by José Luis Gallardo Anguiano, a farmer representative Also, during the opening ceremony, awards were presented to former chairmen of the APEAM.

Silvano Aureoles Conejo – Michoacán Governor

Ricardo Bernal Vargas – Secretary of Economic Development in Michoacán

Gabriel Villaseñor Zurita – APEAM AC Chairman

Engineer Armando López Orduña – APEAM AC Manager

New Chairman:

José Luis Gallardo Anguiano, APEAM AC