PHARR, Texas (ValleyCentral) — City officials gathered at the Pharr International Bridge to celebrate its 10th annual produce season.
The celebration is a milestone as fresh produce is transported between the United States and Mexico.
According to Luis Bazan, Director of the Pharr International Bridge, about 65% of the Texas fresh fruits and vegetables come from Mexico through the Pharr port of entry.
Bazan adds that about 33% of of the nation’s produce items from Mexico cross through the Pharr International Bridge.
“It’s a big deal,” Bazan said. “We’re not just trading with Mexico. We are trading with over 90 countries in the world. But at the end of the day, Mexico continues to be our number one trade partner.”
The Pharr International Bridge sees over 200,000 shipments of fresh produce every year totaling at $6 billion crossing through the port of entry on a yearly basis.
A project to expand the Pharr International Bridge is in the works as the demand for trade rises across international business sectors.
The three-mile expansion will include a four-laned twin bridge, which will serve as a new pathway for commercial traveling from the U.S. to Mexico.
“We want to continue to be the leading importer of produce,” Jonathan Flores, City Manager for the City of Pharr said. “We want to continue to put a good product out there and to make things better for everybody that’s crossing our bridges.”
