Fruit export potential in Peru
Peru is a country not everyone knows, especially some Asian countries are still new to Peru. Perhaps because the distance is too far, the opportunity to connect and trade between Peru and some countries is still limited. But some data showed that Peru’s export potential is impressive:
– Fresh mangoes export 197 thousand tons / year (2017), approximately the export volume of Thailand, ranked 6th in the world.
– Avocado: export volume is 281 thousand tons / year (2017), ranking 3rd in the world.
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My business trip in Peru about 4 months, it’s not too long but also not too short time, it’s enough to go to new lands, new provinces to understand a little more about this market, business manners, buying – selling manners as well as the potential opportunities.
In particular, ending a business trip of more than 10 days in the northern provinces of Peru such as Piura, Cajamarca, Trujillo, … in the past week left me the most impressive, meaningful, full of emotions and part of the responsibility to do something for the farmers here.
Piura is a northern province of Peru, the temperature is always very high, ranging from 30 to 45 degrees. Farmers here often work hard more than other areas because of extreme hot weather this land.
Mr. Antonio – a mango farmer specializing in export, his mango field has over 35 years old, is nearly 10 hectares wide, specializing in supplying export mangoes to European markets and fastidious Asian markets such as Japan and South Korea – he said that all of his contemporaries had left Piura, now he is alone in farming here to keep the mango field, create jobs for local people too. His family is also living in another province because they cannot stand the harsh weather here.
He met us with a fresh smiling on his face – a face with a lot of wrinkles because of the sun, the wind of this land brought, but full of passion- he said: “You come to meet us, we feel very happy. It’s rare to see foreign company, foreigners come to work directly with farmers, closer with farmers to understand more about their feelings and aspirations. Growing mango trees and following the standard are not easy, need a lot of efforts, just hoping to sell at a better price and better life “.
It is known that in Peru in general and mango-growing areas in particular, only mango fields which approved by Senasa can be exported. Each season, Senasa sent their staff go to check directly in each mango field, not yet to mention about they are also sending their inspector to processing factory to check more input materials. A shipment approved by Senasa initially can be started processing in the factory in next steps to follow the standard signed with the customers.
For me, as an exporter of fresh fruits and spices, I also implicitly wish that the exportation would be more favorable, and farmers would also be able to sell with better prices. My point of view on buying and selling in export business is not caring only the benefit of our business, not forcing the price of the farmer – we can sell at a high price, we will buy a little higher price for the farmer – towards the fair – fair business.
