Ten years ago, Peru exported 18 fruit products worth 19 million dollars to the Asia Pacific region. Currently this amount is 15 times bigger, according to the magazine of Promperu's Department of Market Intelligence.
"Last year, the country exported 25 products worth 250 million dollars," said Andres Bravo, an assistant of Market Intelligence.
This region has become an important market. During the 2011-2015 period, while world imports of fruit increased by 17.6%, imports of fruit in the Asia Pacific region increased by a remarkable 51.6%. China has been the major driver of this growth.
The Red Globe grapes are a star product in China. "We are one of the largest suppliers of this fruit and, on that basis, we have begun to develop a product diversification strategy, supported by existing trade agreements, and the approval of plant protection products," he said.
The approval of these protocols has also allowed Peru to ship fresh mangoes to South Korea, fresh avocados to Japan and China, and blueberries to China.
Chinese market
China has become the main market for Peruvian fruits in the Asia Pacific region, with a 31% share in 2015.
The growing demand for the best quality imported fruit in northern China coupled with the increase in the purchasing power of local consumers, has encouraged Chinese entrepreneurs to import mangoes by air via Beijing, despite the higher costs that this represents, since January this year.
As a result, Peru achieved exports worth more than $200,000 dollars to China until July 2016. Finally, the recent access obtained for blueberries starting November will generate potential opportunities for 69 million dollars.
Meanwhile, exports to South Korea went from $250,000 to $37 million dollars in just five years. "Before they only bought frozen mango, grapes and fresh bananas, which have consolidated, but now not they also buy other frozen fruits, such as avocados and strawberries," Bravo said.
Meanwhile, even though Japan is demanding less Peruvian exports in general, there has been continuous upward trend regarding fruit exports to Japan in recent years. In fact, they have gone from 7 million in 2010 to nearly 20 million dollars by the end of 2015.
Mango pulp and frozen avocados stand out, while exports of organic bananas remain above 2 million dollars since 2011.
After the Japanese government lifted the phytosanitary barriers for avocados in 2015, the Commercial Office of Peru in Tokyo designed a promotional strategy to highlight the origin of our product in 1874 outlets across the country.
Estimates are that, in three years, they will start selling 10 million dollars in avocado annually, and there are significant opportunities in the HoReCa channels (hotels, restaurants and catering).
Source: gestion.pe