According to Luis Rogger Ruiz Diaz, the Deputy Regional Minister of Foreign Trade of the Regional Government of La Libertad, this year avocado exports from La Libertad would exceed US $300 million, which would represent a 6.8% increase over the US $ 280,846,873 achieved in 2017.
Ruiz Diaz, also stated that in the first quarter of 2018 shipments of avocados from the region had totalled US $220 million, when in the same period of the previous year they amounted to US $120 million.
The representative of the Regional Government, said that La Libertad has a very large agro-export potential. It is the leading exporter of avocado -and blueberries- in the country, and it will continue to grow with this product as this fruit continues to be planted.
He also said that many hectares that were installed three years ago were now entering production, and that other areas, which were newly installed 1 or 2 years ago, hadn't begun to produce.
The region has areas in the first and second stages of the Chavimochic project, where producers can continue to install avocados, but there are also around 15,000 hectares in the so-called old areas, which are not included in the project, which will enter in the process of cultivation, he added.
In addition, the third stage of the Chavimochic project will have enormous potential for this fruit. "There is no doubt that the region will continue to grow, we have a great opportunity in avocado due to the high demand of international markets," said Ruiz Diaz.
Opportunity for capsicums
The official also highlighted the potential of capsicums. La Libertad is one of the main exporting regions of this product, specifically in preserves such as pepper, which are produced in Piura and Lambayeque but are processed in La Libertad by important companies, such as Agricola Viru and Danper.
However, he said, they are interested in strengthening the export of fresh chillies - although the technology and production of this crop is still tenuous - since there is an important business opportunity with the phytosanitary protocol approved by the United States to export them this Peruvian product to that destination.
"For example, in our region the Gandules company has been developing mesh house projects to export piquillo peppers. Another product that we could include in the exportable supply is paprika," he said.
A strategy is in hand to promote the Peruvian cuisine in countries where there is potential, as the chilli peppers and other peppers are the main ingredients of several Peruvian dishes, he said.
Source: agraria.pe