Shipments of Peruvian fruit and vegetables will reach US$ 10,000 million in 2022, a growth of 15% compared to 2021. By 2023, the Association of Agricultural Producers Guilds of Peru (AGAP) projects that Peru will reach its peak of US$ 11,554 million, placing on the world podium of shipments in nine crops.

And for next year, the agro-export union plans to maintain its leadership in shipments of blueberries, organic bananas, artichokes and ginger (in the latter two, Peru was the second largest exporter in 2020). While in asparagus, tangerines, grapes (it surpassed Chile and had a turnover of US$1,255 million in 2022) and avocado, Peru will have second place. And it will improve the position of fresh mango (from position 3 to 1, displacing Brazil).

It is also estimated that in garlic, onion and pomegranate, the crops rank five at the international level.

Despite the good projections, Alejandro Fuentes, president of AGAP, clarified at a press conference this Wednesday that the higher value of shipments and sales projected for this 2022 and 2023 does not mean greater profits for companies, "many will register losses or it will reduce its profit margin”, given the increase in fertilizer prices, shipping freight, labor and local political uncertainty.

In addition, he said that in crops such as citrus, asparagus and pomegranate, producers will have to work for more than a year to cover the high costs of freight and fertilizers.

In this regard, he pointed out that the volume of agro-exports could reach its peak in 2023, since by that year those areas planted between 2019 and 2020, before the new agrarian law, will have reached their maximum production. And it is that, according to AGAP, in 2021 and this year, the investments that are made are in mechanization, to reduce labor, and replacement of varieties for others that are more productive and that generate less production costs.

New markets

Regarding the new markets, the union indicated that for the next few months the opening of South Africa, Chile, the Philippines and Japan is expected for grapes; South Africa, Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia, for blueberries.

Also New Zealand and Israel, for asparagus; Argentina, Iran, Malaysia, Taiwan, Morocco and South Africa, for mangoes; Mexico, for ginger; and China and the United States, for pitahaya.

union proposal

AGAP also affirms that the agricultural sector is in crisis, for which they have sent the Executive a proposal of eight points, of which one is for the agricultural sector and the others, focused on technical assistance, generation of chains, among others. .

Gabriel Amaro, executive director of AGAP, pointed out that they continue to work with the Ministry of Agrarian Development (Midagri). “It is time for the agricultural sector to be considered as the strategic sector for Peru and for the entire chain to be managed on a promotional basis, not only the large exporter but also the small one. As AGAP, we are available to support in this line”, he said.