In the first five months of this year agricultural exports amounted to $1,780 million dollars, i.e. 0.1 percent more than in the same period of 2014, stated the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Juan Manuel Benites.
He also said that non-traditional exports continued their upward trend as they had increased by 2.5 percent in the mentioned period.
He stated that the highest increases in shipments of non-traditional products had been for Cavendish Valery bananas (30 percent), fresh mangoes (26 percent), and frozen mangoes (29 percent).
There had also been increases in the exports of fresh asparagus (21 percent), fresh avocados (10 percent), preparations of animal feed (12 percent) and cocoa beans (12 percent), among others.
Benites said that non-traditional agricultural exports between January and May had amounted to $1,691 million dollars, 2.5 percent more than in the same period last year.
That category accounted for 95 percent of the volume of agricultural exports, he said.
He also noted that the items with the most demand were fruits and vegetables, highlighting fresh grapes with sales of $235 million dollars, which represents 1.0 percent more than in 2014.
He also highlighted the higher exports of fresh mangoes (US $151 million, up by more than 26 percent), fresh asparagus ($118 million and 21 percent), and fresh avocados ($112 million and 10 percent).
There were also increases in the exports of preparations of animal feed ($64 million and 12 percent), Valery Cavendish bananas ($61 million and 30 percent), mangoes ($57 million and 29 percent), and cocoa ($42 million and 12 percent).
Source: americaeconomia.com