A delegation of buyers from Germany is to visit Peru later this month to explore the country’s burgeoning potential as a supplier of organic fruits and vegetables as part of a joint initiative organised by the trade promotion agencies of both countries.
The German organics market is worth an estimated US$9bn, with demand rising by around 8 per cent a year, demonstrating the huge potential that exists for Peruvian companies in this market, according to Peru’s minister for foreign trade and tourism Magali Silva.
Germany is the third biggest market for Peruvian organic exports, accounting for 16 per cent of its US$339m export total last year. Fruit, coffee and cocoa are mong the main products it imports from the Andean nation.
“Peru ships a range of organic products to Germany including mangoes, avocados, citrus, coffee, cocoa, bananas and quinoa– the last four representing the largest share of sales,” Silva said.
Germany is also the biggest market for organic bananas in Europe and much of this demand is satisfied by small producer organisations in Peru. The government is developing a Specialised Export Route to improve handling and shipment of this product, Silva said.
She highlighted the work being done by Mincetur to promote Peru’s organic offer through participation in trade fairs like Fruit Logistica and Anuga and through a joint promotional strategy with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
As part of this project a delegation of German companies led by GIZ is due to visit a number of organic production areas later this month when it travels to Peru for the Expoalimentaria trade fair.
Silva said ginger, mango, pomegranates and avocados were some of the products showing the greatest potential due to rising demand for organic tropical fruits.
