Exports of Peru’s star fresh produce item, asparagus, rose by 11 per cent in value terms between January and July this year to some US$196m, according to initial data from the Peruvian Exporters Association’s market intelligence system (Adex Data Trade).
Despite the increase, Adex said shipments have not yet returned to 2008 levels when some US$215.9m worth of the vegetable was exported in the first seven months of the year.
During July 2010 alone, sendings reached US$36.3m in value – almost equal to the previous month when US$30.7m was exported, according to Adex.
Fresh or refrigerated asparagus accounted for the biggest slice of exports, representing US$127.8m-worth of the volume (or 65 per cent of the total) – up 29 per cent on the US$99.1m shipped in 2009.
Between January and July, the US was the main export market for Peruvian asparagus, Adex said, receiving US$95m worth of total sendings – an increase of 20 per cent on last year.
Spain was the second-largest destination with US$31.4m, followed by the Netherlands (US$23.9m), France (US$13.2m), the UK (US$10.3m), Germany (US$5.2m), Australia (US$4.3m), Italy (US$3.2m), Japan (US$3.1m) and Belgium (US$1.3m).
