Peru has its sights set on new export markets in Asia for its fresh mangoes this coming season.
The Peruvian Association of Mango Producers and Exporters (EMPA) has identified China and Japan as two new target markets, along with New Zealand and Chile, the EMPA's Juan Carlos Rivera said.
The organisation and its associated members will meet on 4-5 November to mark the official start of the export season and to outline export strategies, he said in a press release.
Flowering surveys carried out in the country's major producing valleys (San Lorenzo, Alto Piura, Chira, Motupe, Olmos y Casma) earlier this year point to 'good' mango production for 2010/11, which was originally expected to be an off-year, the EMPA said.
During the 2009/10 season – an 'on-year', Peru exported over 100,000 tonnes.
'It was expected that this year the flowering and therefore production would wane substantially due to the phenomenon known as alternation, but to date these expectations have changed,' Mr Rivera said.
He added that the processing industry would absorb excess production that cannot be exported, thereby stabilising prices.
