Peruvian mandarins

Exports of mandarins from Peru rose to US$40.3m in value between January and November last year, according to figures released by the Peruvian Exporters Association (Adex).

The result is a 15 per cent growth on the year-earlier period when some US$35.2m-worth of the fruit was shipped worldwide.

The UK was the main destination for the fruit, absorbing US$12.5m of exports, while Singapore and Indonesia, which previously had not imported Peruvian mandarins, accounted for US$29m and US$25m-worth of the sales.

“Singapore and Indonesia are new destinations for our mandarins, while Hong Kong has started importing again,” explained Alfredo Paredes, Adex’s agro-export manager.

“We are working to promote the fruit in order to consolidate sales across the world since mandarins currently represent 5 per cent of total Peruvian fruit sendings.”

Adex said Canada represented the second-largest market for Peruvian mandarins in 2011, accounting for US$7.8m in sales, followed by the Netherlands with US$7.3m.