According to data from the Association of Exporters (ADEX), in the first two months of the year, Peruvian pomegranate exports amounted to just over 7 million dollars, i.e. 45% more than in the same period of 2017.
In the last five years, the pomegranate sector recorded its highest growth in 2014, when it grew by 56%. In the following two years the growth declined but managed to recover in 2017.
The most important destinations for pomegranate exports in the first two months of the year were the Netherlands, which accounted for 64% of the total; Canada, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, although it should be noted that these last four markets showed a decrease volumes. In addition, thanks to the Compensation Program for Competitiveness (Agroideas), which promotes competitiveness and strengthens the association of medium and small producers in the country, there are already producer associations that export to distant and interesting nations, such as Russia and Singapore.
Trend towards healthy lifestyles
The worldwide tendency for the consumption of healthy products could be one of the main reasons for the growth in pomegranate consumption, as it would boost demand even following the extreme growth that the blueberry sector has had in recent years.
Arequipa, Ica, and Lima are the biggest producing regions of pomegranate. However, "it's important to promote their cultivation in other regions of Peru in order to strengthen the presence of this product at an international level," according to the report from ADEX. The most cultivated pomegranate variety in the country is the Wonderful variety, with almost three thousand hectares in Peru. Ica concentrates nearly 80%, which is why the government, businessmen, and producers, find it essential to improve productivity in other regions, through the development of cutting-edge technology.