In 2016, Peru produced 372,900 tons of mangoes worth 202.5 million soles, i.e. 7.8% more than in 2015, according to the Peruvian Foreign Trade Company (ComexPeru).
The guild said that Peruvian mango exports in the previous year amounted to US $198.4 million (157,700 tons), i.e. 1.3% more than the 195.9 million dollars achieved in 2015.
"Thanks to this, the mango ranked fifth among the main non-traditional agricultural exports, making Peru the second biggest exporter of this fruit in the world, only after Mexico," they stated.
According to ComexPerú, the main export destinations were the Netherlands, with 38% of total exports (US $ 75.4 million), the United States, with 28% (US $ 55.4 million), and the United Kingdom, with 9% (US $ 18.4 million).
Potential in Asia
They also highlighted the participation of South Korea, which approved the entry of Peruvian mango into its market by the end of 2015, thanks to the technical efforts made by the National Service of Agrarian Health (Senasa) to ensure the products' quality. In 2016, Peru began exporting mangoes to that country, which managed to be in the top ten destinations, with US $ 2.4 million, in one year.
"This demonstrates the enormous opportunity we have to enter strongly in the rest of the Asian countries, a market with an enormous potential for our exportable food offer," the guild said.
"Now that the handle has achieved an important position in Europe and the United States, we must aim to consolidate its presence in the Asian countries, where we have a great demand to discover. This will only be possible through the joint work between the public and private sectors," they added.
Measures to streamline dispatches
To this end, they said, the Government needs to commit to continue improving the infrastructure for the entire productive chain. They must give priority to irrigation projects, as well as to modernizing the roads, airports and the ports of Paita, Pisco and Salaverry, to improve marketing from the main agricultural activity points and to facilitate transportation to the most distant destinations, such as Pacific Asia.
In addition, they added, it's essential to establish prevention protocols against droughts, such as the ones that affected crops, and against the current floods and landslides that can damage the cultivated areas and the water infrastructure.
Finally, they said, we must take advantage of the opportunities to expand in new markets. The Senasa, with the support of Minagri, must continue working to meet the phytosanitary requirements that these countries demand so that Peru can increase its shipments to other Asian countries, such as China, Japan and Singapore.
Source: agraria.pe