Peruvian custard apples have been identified as one of the products with strong potential to do well on the Japanese market, according to Alfonso Velasquez, president of Sierra Exportadora, the official agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.
“During trade missions we have organised from Japan a number of Peruvian products have been singled out as potential import winners, including custard apples,” he said.
Sierra Exportadora runs a programme providing technical assistance to growers of this fruit on issues such as harvesting and sorting.
Peru produces around 20,000 tonnes of custard apples a year, of which around 40 per cent is grown in the Lima region. Currently, just 1-2 per cent of this is exported, with Canada, Costa Rica, Spain and Uruguay amongst the main destinations.
