The Covid-19 pandemic led to a 56.4 per cent fall in Chinese imports of Peruvian fruit in the first half of 2020 according to analysis from consultancy Fresh Fruit Peru.
China imported US$4.44bn worth of fruit during this period, an overall drop of 28 per cent compared to the year-earlier period. Peruvian exports accounted for 1.8 per cent of this total, equivalent to US$82m.
The fall in Peruvian shipments pushed the country down one spot to ninth position in the ranking of suppliers to China, being displaced by Egypt.
The main Peruvian products shipped to China in the first semester of 2020 were grapes (32 per cent of the total), avocados (30 per cent) and mandarins (19 per cent).
Shipments to Europe also contracted in the first half of the year, albeit at a much lower rate. Exports to this market were down 6 per cent – less than the average fall – totalling US$1.291bn.
During this time, Peru rose two places in the supplier ranking, overtaking Ecuador and Vietnam to reach 13th position, Fresh Fruit Peru said.
