Peruvian asparagus sales made solid gains last year but growth in 2012 is likely to be more conservative, according to a news statement from the Peruvian Exporters Association (Adex).
Sendings rose by 15 per cent in value to US$480.3m during 2011, up from US$418.9m in 2010.
Of that total, fresh and refrigerated volume increased by 2 per cent to US$291.8m, Adex said.
The result marks an upturn in the trade since the global financial crisis of 2009, explained Alfredo Paredes, agroexport manager at Adex.
“The figures show a recovery in asparagus sendings following the fall in sales due to the world economic crisis which started at the end of 2008 and continued during 2009,” Paredes noted.
This year, however, Peru’s asparagus exports are only expected to rise by 3-4 per cent, according to Adex.
“It’s likely that asparagus exports will not have a big increase because of the debt crisis in Europe `which` is one of the biggest markets accustomed to eating asparagus,” Paredes explained.
Despite the poor European outlook, Paredes explained that Peru has favourable weather conditions for asparagus, which allows for production during most of the year and throughout the off-season of various markets.
The main suppliers of Peruvian asparagus last year were Camposol, Danper Trujillo, Sociedad Agrícola Viru and Complejo Agroindustrial Beta, among others.
The majority of the volume was shipped to the US, Spain and the Netherlands, Adex said.
