When people talk about Peru today as a major force in global agricultural exports, blueberries, Hass avocados, grapes, and mangoes quickly come to mind: products that now reach supermarkets and wholesale markets around the world. But Peru's position at the global table is no coincidence. It's the result of over thirty years of consistent strategy and planning. Along that path, AGAP, the Association of Agricultural Producer Guilds of Peru, has played a central role.
AGAP is a private industry association that represents the entire Peruvian agricultural sector, spanning farming, agribusiness, and exports. It brings together seven specialized crop guilds, including ProVid (grapes), ProCitrus, ProArándanos (blueberries), ProGranada (pomegranates), IPEH (asparagus), APEM (mangoes), and ProHass, which work directly with growers in the field. AGAP itself focuses on broader strategic areas like public policy, sustainability, market access, competitiveness, and international promotion.
© AGAP
As Gabriel Amaro, AGAP's president, explains, the goal is to "create the conditions for Peru to remain competitive in a demanding global market, where quality, traceability, and compliance with health standards are just as critical as volume."
Opening markets takes time
One of AGAP's key priorities is expanding access to international markets. This involves official trade missions, government negotiations, and coordination with SENASA (Peru's National Agricultural Health Service) on phytosanitary protocols. But it's not a quick process. Opening a market can take anywhere from two to ten years, depending on the product and destination, due to the strict standards for plant health and food safety.
"Still, progress has been steady. Recent market openings include tangelo mandarins in Vietnam, citrus fruits in New Zealand, Hass avocados in Malaysia and the Philippines, grapes in Ecuador, and blueberries in Indonesia. Blueberries and pomegranates are also entering the Chinese market. For China, a cold treatment protocol was approved that requires the fruit to be kept at 1.67°C for 17 days prior to shipping. Discussions are ongoing with Chinese authorities and SENASA to further ease access."
AGAP's work isn't limited to established crops. It also plays a key role in supporting emerging products like pecans, helping push forward regulatory frameworks, and developing new commercial opportunities.
More production, more markets
According to Amaro, expanding into new markets is a structural necessity. "Peru produces far more food than it can consume domestically." With a population of just 33 million and agricultural output steadily growing since the 1990s, the country must ensure it has channels to export its increasing volumes.
Between 1995 and 2023, Peru's population grew by 39%, from just over 24 million to nearly 34 million, according to World Bank data. In that same period, fruit and vegetable production grew by 171%, from 7 million to almost 19 million tonnes, according to FAO data.
"A standout example is the blueberry. Peru is now the world's top exporter of this fruit, reaching 325,846 tonnes in 2024 thanks to a highly technical industry. The same upward trend is seen in grapes, avocados, and citrus fruits, with increases in both yield and cultivated area. In this context, the growth of agroexports, surpassing $12.4 billion in 2024 (FOB value), is not a temporary boom but the result of a long-term vision. Peru has positioned itself as a reliable global supplier of fresh produce."
The U.S. remains key, but the focus shifts to Asia
Today, 35% of Peru's agricultural exports go to the United States. "Despite the recent introduction of a 10% tariff by the U.S. government, the market remains essential. While Mexican avocados enter the U.S. duty-free, Peru has remained competitive, not just with avocados, but across several crops."
Still, diversification is crucial. "Asia has already become Peru's fourth-largest export market, and its importance continues to grow. In this regard, the new port of Chancay will be pivotal. With direct shipping routes to Asia and the capacity to handle large vessels, it is expected to cut logistical time and costs by around 30%. This will not only boost Peru's competitiveness but also encourage upgrades at other key ports, such as Callao, Paita, and Paracas."
Clear rules and infrastructure for growth
The agricultural sector faced a setback in 2020 when the long-standing promotional agrarian law was repealed. "However, stability returned with the approval of a new agrarian law, which has restored investor confidence. The new legal framework aims to foster formal employment, create wealth, improve living standards, and expand opportunities in rural areas."
Amaro also points out that some foreign-funded NGOs have published biased reports intended to undermine agricultural development and exports. "Still, through close cooperation between farmers, private institutions like AGAP, and the Peruvian government, efforts are being made to counter misinformation and support sectoral growth."
At the same time, a portfolio of irrigation projects is being revived. "These initiatives will add thousands of hectares of modern farmland in regions like Tumbes, Piura, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Ica, and Arequipa. Major projects include Majes Siguas II and III in the south, and Chavimochic III and later phases of Olmos in the north. If fully implemented, they could generate between two and three million formal jobs and cement the country's agricultural expansion. However, several of these projects face delays due to political instability and legal disputes."
Diversification as a growth strategy
Sustainable growth, Amaro emphasizes, depends on diversifying what is grown. "If all new land is used for the same crops, prices will drop and profitability will suffer." That's why AGAP promotes crop diversification tailored to regional conditions: cherries and kiwis in highland areas, persimmons and pecans along the coast, and cacao and hearts of palm in the jungle, where the biggest challenge is not water, but transportation infrastructure.
With a stable legal framework, modern infrastructure, expanding farmland, and improved access to global markets, Amaro believes Peru could double its agricultural exports within the next decade, reaching $50 billion annually in the long term.
For more information:
Gabriel Amaro (president)
AGAP
[email protected]
www.agapperu.org
