Camposol – one of Peru’s leading asparagus suppliers – expects its production and exports of the vegetable to increase by 11 per cent in 2011, according to a report by Agraria.pe.
Commercial manager Gustavo Guerrero said the company also plans to expand its planted area with avocados this year as part of ongoing efforts to renovate asparagus fields.
“In 2008, the company overturned 100ha of asparagus – part of our oldest plantations – to plant Hass avocados, and we’ll do the same over the next three years when other areas require the same action,” said Mr Guerrero.
The rotation of asparagus fields is a technical necessity, according to Mr Guerrero, since the micro-organisms which remain in the soil after 10 years can affect asparagus plants.
The problem, he explained, is overcome by replanting the area with a different crop for a period of five to six years.
According to Agraria.pe, exports of Peruvian asparagus reached US$426.9m in value during 2010, up 11.4 per cent on the year earlier.
The principal export markets were the US, which absorbed 54.5 per cent of the sendings, followed by Spain (16.1 per cent) and the Netherlands (8 per cent).
Camposol is among the three largest asparagus suppliers in Peru, together with Danper Trujillo and Complejo Agroindustrial Beta.
