President Felipe Calderon gave a shot in the arm to the tequila industry by paying a visit last week to the Regional Tequila Council (CRT) offices in Guadalajara to show his support for one of Mexico’s most emblematic sectors. Primarily, Calderon pledged to continue protecting and promoting tequila’s denomination of origin status, which gives international recognition to the liquor as a distinctive product distilled from the fermented juice of the blue agave plant in certain regions of Mexico.
Calderon patted his administration on the back for finally persuading both China and South Korea to subscribe to the agreement that prevents the word tequila from being used as a generic name on other spirits not made under the controls of the CRT.
Mexico also reached an agreement with China over its long-time refusal to accept 100 percent agave imports because its menthol content was higher than the country’s accepted norms.
The CRT recently opened an office in Shanghai and expects exports, led chiefly by Jose Cuervo, La Cofradia and Sauza, to soar in China in the near future.
Calderon also reiterated his support in fighting the illegal production of pseudo tequilas. According to the president, during his administration police have revised 11,000 properties where illegal production has been suspected and detained over 2,000 people.
The tequila industry supports around 38,000 families in 181 municipalities, chiefly in Jalisco, but also in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit and Tamaulipas.
Source: Guadalajara Reporter
