When you see 1.5 million of anything, it seems tremendous-whether it be grains of sand or the stars in the sky. During my five days in Mexico I toured two different greenhouse complexes. If each plant produces 20 cuttings during a season, then in the two operations combined, there are over seventy million cuttings produced each year. It is amazing how much offshore production facilities contribute to the horticulture industry. The intriguing thing about a trip like this is not only the realization of the direction of our industry, but also beginning to grasp the differences of cultures worldwide.
Mexican culture runs at an entirely different pace than that of the United States.
Upon arriving, I noticed that things moved much slower. This cultural difference, however, has proven to be a problem with some foreign managers in the greenhouse industry. One of the facilities I visited is run by a German who explained that coming from a country where reporting to work on time is considered important, can often leave you waiting in Mexico. The employees are hardworking, diligent, and fast. But the pace and the work here is hard and has left both facilities I visited searching for employees.