Exports of peppers from Peru will increase by 20 per cent in value terms to US$345m this year, according to a forecast made by Jorge Chepote, president of the Peruvian Pepper Committee – an entity of the Peruvian Exporters Association (Adex).
Chepote explained during a press conference that exports of Peruvian peppers will continue to increase this year although prices will not rise at the levels seen last year due to international factors such as competition with China and the European crisis.
“Last year was exceptional because `exports` rose in both volume and value (FOB) terms due to excellent prices being paid, which reached US$3 per kilogramme,” Chepote said.
“However, this year prices will probably be lower. But it’s not that we will lose out, rather we won’t reach the levels of last year,” he pointed out.
In 2011, Peru exported peppers mainly to Spain, the US and Mexico, with the production region of Ica representing US$12.8m worth of the sales, up from US$4.3m in 2010.
Chepote said Ica has the potential to increase its production of produce in general, depending on the government’s solution to water shortage issues in the region.
To promote the production and export of Peruvian peppers, Adex said it will host the third International Pepper Convention in Ica, Peru, on 18-19 April.
