The Peruvian Agribusiness Guild Association (AGAP) reported that the country's agricultural exports of fresh fruits and vegetables by the end of the first half of 2014 amounted to 543,413 net tons, i.e. 34% more than in the same period last year.
"This allows us to continue providing not only an increased agricultural production and trade in products of high added value, but also a lot of employment, which leads to a significant rural development," they said.
Mango exports, which amounted to 109,000 tons, ranked first among the agricultural exports between January and June 2014, followed by avocados, 105,000 tons, and grapes with 103,000 tons; a 21%, 66% and 86% increase respectively, when compared with the same period last year.
The new fruits for which exports are growing include, among others, melons, strawberries, custard apples, figs, fresh dates, peaches and fresh apples. Exports of latter increased from two tons placed by June 2013 to 543 tons by June 2014.
"We expect the blueberries exports will also have increase substantially, particularly in the second half of the year, as there is an increase in production between late August and November," said AGAP.
Exports of this fruit increased by 517.8%, i.e. 708 tons, in the first half of the year.
"Once again, our main buyer, with 250,000 net tons, was Europe, which grew by 17.1%, followed by the United States, which grew by 49.8% to 171,000 net tons, and Asia, which grew by 24.1% to 47,000 net tons. We expect Asia will continue developing," said the guild.
Source: gestion.pe