Ana María Deustua, executive director of the Agricultural Producers Guild Association of Peru (AGAP), reported that fruit and vegetable exports during the first two months of the year amounted to U.S. $366 million, 29% more than in the same period in 2013, which amounted to $284 million.
She also noted that the percentage increase was above the average annual growth rate achieved in the last ten years (22%).
Ms Deustua, noted that this significant increase was a result of the good reception that the Peruvian agricultural exports had had in Asia. "Our exports to the Asian market have gone very well, in the first two months of this year they grew by 78%; mainly because of the fruits that were mostly sent to China," she said.
AGAP's representative said the fresh grapes, the product that had opened the Chinese market to other items in Peru's export portfolio, had been positioned the best within the Asian market.
In that sense, she explained, the export of Peruvian fresh grapes to the international market, $203 million dollars in the first two months of 2014, had increased by 65.4% when compared to the 122 million dollars made in the same time period last year.
Ana Maria Deustua said that banana volumes had increased by 10%, while fresh mangoes had increased by 19% in the first two months of the year. She also stressed that fresh avocado exports, which is being exported since early February, was also gaining strength.
"Two or three years ago we started to produce and export avocados as of April. We are exporting certain early varieties that are in the mountains, especially in Ayacucho," she said.
Source: Agraria.pe