The Exporters Association (Adex) informed that the export of Peruvian plantains reached a record high in 2014 as total shipments amounted to US $119.2 million, 34% more than in the previous year.
According to them, plantains exports evolved favourably in recent years due to the increased demand from Holland, USA and Germany.
In 2008, plantain exports totalled $45.3 million dollars, in 2010, 55.8 million and in 2012, 84.6 million dollars.
The Peruvian plantain was exported to 20 markets in 2014, one more than in 2013 and three more than in 2012.
Last year, the Netherlands was the largest importer with US $49.8 million, 18.5% more than in the previous year. The US followed with $32.7 million dollars and a significant 105.2% growth in imports.
Germany ranked third with imports worth $19.3 million and a growth of 70.1%.
These three countries were the main destinations of this fruit, with a share of 85% of the total.
According to Adex, the increase in shipments to the United States was primarily due to the fact that the companies preferred to export to large buyers in the US who offered to pay the same price as the Europeans.
Belgium ranked fourth with 6.1 million dollars and, despite having an 18.1% fall, the European country remains a major destination for Peruvian plantains.
Japan was another country that bought Peruvian plantains last year ($2.8 million), despite having a contraction in orders (34.4%).
Other countries that bought Peruvian plantains were Finland, South Korea, UK, Canada, and France, among others.
The exporter guild stated that some of the new markets for Peruvian plantains last year included Ukraine, Macao and Uganda.
Plantain exports to the Ukraine amounted to $56,160 dollars and small samples were sent to Macao and Uganda.
There was also a recovery in exports to other destinations, such as Finland, which didn't buy Peruvian plantains in 2013, and Panama, which hadn't bought Peruvian plantain since 2011.
The main exporters of plantains last year were the Saman Association of Small Producers of Organic plantain and annexes, Agribusiness Los Angeles, the Association of Small Organic Producers Querecotillo, and the Community Association of Organic plantain Producers Querecotillo, among others.
Source: America Economia