The City of Pharr and the Pharr International Bridge will host a special event “A Taste of Trade” to initiate the start of the 2022-2023 produce season on Oct. 6. The event, which is open to the public, includes produce growers, importers, distributors and consumers from the United States and Mexico.

The annual “Start of the Produce Season” event takes place from 10 a.m. to noon at the Pharr International Bridge.

“The Pharr International Bridge continues to remain the number one produce gateway in the nation,” said Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez. “We are proud of the outstanding work our bridge director, board and staff continue to do in working with all our partners to continue to expand growth and access through our bridge and we look forward to another record-setting season.”

Pharr city officials, as well as special guests, dignitaries and other notable representatives from the produce industry on both sides of the border, are expected to attend. The event will be followed by the annual cutting of the fruit and a “Taste of Trade” sample tasting.

The Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge is among the nation’s largest land ports for fruits and vegetables. Currently, the Pharr International Bridge crosses more than 65 percent of all the fresh produce from Mexico through Texas. This includes avocados, strawberries, blueberries, pineapples, tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits, asparagus and more. Imports of produce topped more than $700 million in January.

The public is asked to RSVP online.