These are grapes, blueberries and avocados, which will be key in the goal of exceeding US$ 11.5 billion in agricultural exports for this year.
Peru is consolidating itself as an important supplier of fruits and vegetables worldwide, considering that at the end of 2023, Peruvian agricultural exports reached US$ 10,545 million and at the end of this year it is projected to exceed US$ 11,500 million, according to the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation of the Andean country (Midagri).
“Despite the unfavorable context, the excellent work of agricultural producers and exporters, accompanied by the Peruvian State, made it possible to reverse this adversity and make it possible for agricultural shipments in 2023 to exceed those reported a year earlier by 2.9%.” , declared Midagri's agricultural foreign trade specialist, César Romero, to the Official Gazette El Peruano .
The official highlighted that, over the last 23 years, Peruvian agricultural exports have grown at an average rate of 11.9% per year. But what are the star products that sustain the performance of the country's modern agriculture?
César Romero indicated that there are 20 products that represent 74.6% of Peru's total agricultural exports, among which are grapes, blueberries, avocados, asparagus, mango, citrus fruits, coffee, cocoa, banana, artichoke, dried paprika, ginger (kion) and quinoa.
However, according to the figures managed by Midagri, there are three Peruvian products that are exported and whose annual performance exceeds or borders US$ 1,000 million: grapes, blueberries and avocados.
GRAPE
The grape currently leads the Peruvian agro-export ranking, if we take into account that, during the 12 months of 2023, 649,000 tons were exported for a value of US$ 1,745 million, 28% above the value exported in 2022. , according to Midagri data.
“The harvest and export campaign for fresh grapes begins around September and ends in April of the following year, with December and January being the months of greatest sales abroad,” said César Romero.
The specialist indicated that the main grape production areas, destined for export, are in the departments of Ica, Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad and Ancash (Casma and Huarmey).
During 2023, Peruvian grapes were exported to some 55 markets, although the concentration of the exported value in the United States (47% of the total), the European Union (17%) and Asian countries (13%) is notable, mainly Hong Kong and China.
BLUEBERRIES
The blueberry is the second Peruvian agro-export product, since at the end of 2023 it added shipments abroad for US$ 1,676 million, registering a growth of 23% compared to the previous year.
“The volume of shipments of Peruvian blueberries abroad was 207,000 tons in 2023, being 24.2% lower than that registered in 2022 (273,000 tons). However, the drop in supply from Peru, the world's main exporter of blueberries, managed to impact prices in the international market, so that the value of exports increased," explained César Romero.
The specialist explained that, until recent years, the blueberry harvest campaign in Peru began in July and ended in March of the following year, which is why April, May and June were months of marginal or no export.
"However, in recent years the start of the blueberry seasonal window has been extended to June, to reach peak export volumes around the months of September and October, and end the campaign in April of next year," he said. .
The continuity of the Peruvian exportable supply has been achieved hand in hand with the new plant genetic varieties that have allowed Peru to maintain a consistent supply of fruit of better quality, larger size and good flavor, satisfying the high demands of consumers in the international market, he added.
César Romero pointed out that the main regions producing blueberries for export are Lambayeque, La Libertad, Ancash (Casma and Huarmey) and Ica.
Peruvian blueberries reach 44 foreign markets, taking into account that only the United States demands 57% of the total, followed by the European Union with 22%, and then there are other destinations such as China and Hong Kong.
AVOCADO
The avocado is located in third place among Peru's main agro-export products, considering that in 2023 shipments abroad totaled US$ 963 million, 7.6% above the previous year, since in volume they reached 599,000 tons.
“The fresh avocado export campaign can be observed almost all year round, because its cultivation takes place on the coast and mountains of Peru. The bulk of exports are recorded between the months of March and September of each year, mainly from the coast,” said Romero.
The Midagri specialist indicated that avocado is produced mainly in the regions of Ica, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Ancash (Casma) and Ayacucho.
According to the National Agrarian Health Service (Senasa), Peruvian avocados can currently be exported to 73 markets around the world, with the European Union being the largest buyer with a share of 51.8% of the total. In second place is the United States with 13.9%, followed by Mexico, Chile and Asian countries.
OTHER PRODUCTS
Midagri points out that there are other agricultural products from Peru that are in high demand in the international market such as coffee, cocoa, mango, asparagus, paprika, citrus fruits, organic bananas and quinoa, in addition to others that are arousing greater interest such as strawberries and kion.
Romero highlighted that Peruvian agricultural exports showed great strength in 2023; However, face a series of problems, mainly climatic.
"Peru is taking advantage of a great natural advantage, of being a multidiverse country with 38 different climates, which allows it to produce all year round and move geographically in order to optimize its cultivation in those regions where the climate is more stable, such as the south coast, in circumstances that the north coast was being affected by coastal El Niño,” he noted.
The Peruvian agro-export sector is resorting to greater technological innovation, for example, the introduction of new genetic varieties in most of the main exportable products with the aim of adapting to climate change and maintaining a consistent supply of fruits and vegetables of the best quality, caliber and good flavor, he added.
AGROEXPORTING REGIONS OF PERU
The regional report of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru (Mincetur) indicates that, during 2023, the natural coastal region produced 82% of Peruvian agricultural exports.
The northern coast continues to be the area where there is the greatest presence of export crops (blueberries, grapes, mangoes, asparagus, avocado) with the departments of Lambayeque, La Libertad, Piura and Ancash (Chimbote, Casma and Huarmey). On the south coast is the department of Ica with grapes and asparagus, Arequipa also has paprika chili production and Tacna is with oregano and olives.
Moving on to another natural region, the jungle contributed 13% of Peruvian agricultural shipments abroad, with coffee and cocoa as its greatest exponents, which are produced mainly in the departments of San Martín, Cajamarca, Junín and Amazonas. There are also palm oil, kion and Brazil nuts that are gaining acceptance in the international market.
The mountains participated with 5% of Peruvian agro-exports, with quinoa as the flagship product that comes mainly from the departments of Puno, Ayacucho, Apurímac and Cusco. In addition, the Andean zone has the artichoke, high altitude coffee and tara as other products that are sold to the foreign market.
DATA
- The Private Investment Promotion Agency (ProInversión) pointed out a potential of 250,000 new hectares for agro-export crops in the medium term, which could be enabled with an investment of US$ 4.3 billion, which would double the fields to 500,000 hectares. destined for modern agriculture in Peru.
- According to ProInversión, this increase in hectares for agro-export will be supported by four projects: Chavimochic III (111,000 hectares in La Libertad); Majes Siguas II (38,500 hectares in Arequipa); Chinecas (83,000 hectares in Áncash), and Chancay - Lambayeque (20,000 hectares in Lambayeque).
- But that doesn't stop there. ProInversión identified another 168,000 hectares that could be developed with the Olmos II projects (50,000 hectares in Lambayeque); Pampas Verdes (50,000 hectares in Ayacucho); Majes I Optimization (8,000 hectares in Arequipa); Alto Piura (20,000 hectares in Piura), and Chira (40,000 hectares in Piura).
