The general manager of the Association of Producers of Table Grapes of Peru (Provid), Carlos Zamorano Macchiavello, stated that Peru exported 285 thousand tons of table grapes during the current campaign (2017/2018), i.e. 11% less than the 320 thousand tons it dispatched in the previous season (2016/2017).
Zamorano Macchiavello also said there were still two weeks remaining and that they expected that, by the end of the campaign, the difference would decrease.
The fall in exports, he said, was due to a decrease in production caused by the Coastal El Niño phenomenon, which mainly hit Piura and Lambayeque, the main producing regions of table grapes in the north coast.
Exports from Piura decreased from 15 million boxes in the 2016/2017 campaign to 9.5 million boxes in the current campaign, while exports from Lambayeque had gone from 2.8 million boxes in the previous campaign to 2 million boxes in the 2017/2018 campaign. Each box stores 8.2 kilos.
Meanwhile, Ica, which wasn't affected by the coastal El Niño, achieved high productive yields. This region's table grape shipments went from 17.4 million boxes in the previous campaign to 20.73 million boxes in the current campaign. Ica's campaign has not finished and producers expect to continue making dispatches for another fifteen days.
There was a reduction in certified areas for export
The representative of Provid also stated that there had been a decrease in registered and certified areas to export table grapes over the previous season (2016/2017) due to the effects of the coastal El Niño. However, he said, producers could still register and certify areas before the end of the campaign.
The National Agrarian Health Service (Senasa) registered and certified 14,800 hectares of table grapes for export in the current campaign (2017/2018), i.e. 16% less hectares than the 17,600 hectares registered and certified in the previous season (2016/2017).
In Piura, the registered and certified areas decreased by 30%, going from 6,500 hectares in the previous season to 4,500 hectares in the current season. In Lambayeque the area registered decreased by 32%, as it went from 1,600 hectares to 1,100 hectares.
"The area in Ica remained the same (7,900 hectares in the previous and in the current seasons), but there could be some positive variation because the campaign isn't over."
He also said that, even though the number of certified areas in Ica had remained the same, the production had been higher in this area in this campaign, which had helped offset the difference between both campaigns. In addition, he stated that Peru's lower production volume would allow them to achieve better prices. These factors will allow the current campaign to recover ground against the previous campaign.
Source: agraria.pe