Manuel Salazar, CEO of the Camposol, said the company had abandoned this business because of their gradual exit from the canned food business, where they manufactured part of their asparagus, peppers, and artichoke portfolio, as it was an area that lost profitability and that they will completely withdraw from this year. "There still is some inventory that we'll continue selling," he said.
He also stated that exports of blueberries, their flagship product in the fresh segment, had increased in the first half of the year. Shipments amounted to 69% of what was shipped last year because of an increase in production in the first quarter. "We hope that there's also an increase in production at the end of the third and fourth quarter so that we triple our exports. We have planted 540 new hectares," he added.
To continue being efficient within its portfolio, Camposol decided to stop cultivating white asparagus, a product that accounted for 12% of the company's total sales up to June this year.
"The crop's performance was decreasing as it got older and El Niño impacted its performance," said Salazar.
Thus, the cost of maintaining the crop was not going to be supported by its performance. Additionally, the company could not plant new asparagus on that land because it would not grow. "Part of the crops were replaced with avocado, which already amount to 2,600 hectares. Another part was replaced by blueberries," he said. Both crops, as well as mango crops, have good sales prospects abroad this year and next year.
Source: elcomercio.pe