According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MINAGRI), agricultural exports in the first quarter of this year (January-April) amounted to US $1.431 million, an increase of only 0.4% over the same period of 2014.
The head of Minagri, Juan Manuel Benites, stated that non-traditional agricultural exports continued their upward trend in those months as they increased 4%.
He said that, in April, there had been a 31% increase in shipments of Cavendish Valery bananas, 26% in fresh and frozen mango, 26% in fresh asparagus, 13% in fresh avocados, 13% in preparations for animal feed, 7% in cocoa beans, among others.
He also noted that the main buyers had had a good performance in those months, as the United States increased its orders by 5% (US $18 million increase), Ecuador 25% (US $17 million increase), England 24% (US $12 million increase) and South Korea by 172% (US $11 million increase).
Non traditional agricultural exports
Benites highlighted the continuing growth of non-traditional agricultural exports as they reached $1,369 million dollars, 4% more than in the period between January and April last year.
The basket of non-traditional products represents 96% of total agricultural exports.
He also said that the most preferred agricultural products in the international markets were fruits and vegetables, such as fresh grapes, which had sales of $234 million dollars, and fresh mangoes, which increased by 26% and had sales for more than $150 million dollars.
The minister stated that there had been a 26% increase in shipments of fresh asparagus with sales that amounted to US $95 million, frozen mango: $53 million (26%), Cavendish Valery bananas: $49 million dollars (31%), fresh avocados: $47 million (13%), and cocoa beans: $29 million (7%), among others.
According to the report of the Directorate General of Monitoring and Evaluation Policy of the Minagri, agricultural exports between January and April reached 130 destination countries. The US continued to be the main market with 25% of the market share, followed by the Netherlands with 14%, Ecuador with 6%, and China with 6%, among others.
The agricultural trade balance in the first quarter was positive by US $74 million, as total exports amounted to $1,431 million dollars and total imports amounted to $1,357 million FOB dollars.
Source: gestion.pe