The Association of Exporters (ADEX) stated on Tuesday that the value of Peruvian asparagus exports in the first quarter of the year had reached $146.1 million dollars, 6.7 percent more than in the same period of 2014.
The Management of Agro of the business association said the United States increased its demand for Peruvian asparagus by 22.4 percent because Mexico, one of its main suppliers, had decreased its production, which led to an improvement in prices for Peruvian exporters.
In 2014 Peruvian asparagus were displaced in the US market by Mexican asparagus because of their lower prices.
To counter these losses, Peruvian agribusiness allocated said vegetable to the canning industry, where they obtained better prices.
Asparagus is one of the flagship products of Peruvian agricultural exports, as the country's favorable climate and geographical location benefits its cultivation along the coast, mainly in the regions of Ica (south), La Libertad and Ancash (north), and Lima (Midwest).
ADEX said asparagus crops in particular are mature, so they are replaced by others crops, such as grapes, blueberries and citrus.
Much water is used in their production, which increases costs for producers and exporters.
The main destination of Peruvian asparagus is the United States, a nation that imported US $ 60.8 million of this product between January and April this year, i.e. 41.7 percent of total shipments, followed by Spain with US $20.1 million and the Netherlands with $17.5 million dollars.
While asparagus shipments to the US increased by 22 percent, shipments to Spain and to the Netherlands decreased by 15.2 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively.
Despite the 15.2% decrease, Spain, the second destination for Peruvian asparagus, imported US $20.1 million, which amounts to 13.7 percent of the total exports of asparagus. The Netherlands made purchases for $17.5 million dollars, i.e. 2.9 percent less than in the same period last year.
Other markets are China, France, Britain, Germany, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Chile, Denmark, Canada, Sweden, Colombia, South Africa and South Korea.
Exports of fresh or refrigerated Peruvian asparagus amounted to $ 95.5 million, up 26.5 percent; exports of prepared or preserved asparagus (not frozen) totalled $ 40.9 million, and exports of frozen asparagus amounted to $ 9.6 million.