Despite the expansion of the pandemic, Peruvian agricultural exports between January and April 2020 totaled 1.888 billion dollars, i.e. an increase of 3.8% compared to the same period in 2019, stated the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur).
The expansion of this sector is mainly due to the higher sale of fruits, which reached 1.174 billion dollars and increased by 12% year-on-year. This amount accounted for 62% of all non-traditional agricultural exports. The increase in other products such as ginger, which experienced a 168% increase and amounted to $19 million, was also noteworthy.
In general lines, in the first four-months of 2020, the agricultural sector (traditional and non-traditional) was the only sector that increased its exports, which amounted to $1.963 billion dollars, 1.4% more than the $1.937 billion achieved in the same period of the previous year.
Fruits
In the first four months of 2020, fruit exports grew due to higher grape sales (31%), higher prices (16%), and higher volumes (13%). Likewise, shipments of fresh and frozen mangoes increased by 21% and 45%, respectively, thanks to higher volumes (41% and 48%, respectively). Meanwhile, shipments of mandarin and fresh avocado grew by 71% and 5%, respectively, due to higher volumes and prices.
The main markets for Peruvian fruit are the United States (40%) and the European Union (38%), which increased their demand by 18% and 9%, respectively. There were also increases in Mexico (47%), Russia (46%), Canada (23%), and Hong Kong (21%).
Fruit exports from Arequipa (52%), Ica (29%), Piura (18%), Ancash (18%), and Lima (7%) increased, which together accounted for more than 80% of all exports. Lima is the largest producing region of mandarin, Piura of mango, and Ica of grape.
Ginger
Ginger (kion) shipments increased by 137% in April 2020, accumulating a sustained growth of 168% in the first quarter. The good performance of this plant was due to higher sales to countries such as Spain (529%), the Netherlands (255%), and the United States (124%), the latter of which are the second and the world's largest importer, respectively.
In that period, 71 Peruvian companies exported this product to 18 world markets; i.e. 25% more than last year.
Peru is the world's fourth-largest exporter of ginger after China, Thailand, and India. In 2019, the country exported 23,400 metric tons of ginger for $ 41.5 million, mainly from Junín, the country's leading ginger producer and exporter.
Source: elperuano.pe
