Agricultural exports from Peru rose by 25 per cent in value between January and July this year; totalling some US$1.4bn, up from US$1.1bn in the year-earlier period.
The growth was mainly attributable to improved sales of coffee, asparagus, avocados, table grapes and mangoes, according to the Peruvian Exporters Association (Adex).
Export value rose by 40 per cent in January, Adex said, before leveling off to a 26 per cent increase in February and a growth of 23 per cent in June.
According to preliminary figures, traditional agricultural exports (notably coffee and sugar) represented U$313.1m of the total – an increase of 48 per cent on 2008 when US$211.7m-worth of products were sold between January and July.
Non-traditional agricultural shipments, meanwhile, grew by 20 per cent in value to US$1.08m, comprising mainly vegetables (worth US$368.7m) as well as fruits and their derivatives (US$343m), according to Adex.
The main vegetables exported included asparagus, peppers, artichokes and Piquillo peppers, while avocados, table grapes, mangoes, plantain, mandarins and passionfruit juice made up the majority of the fruit category, among others.
Adex said the main markets for non-traditional exports were the US (absorbing US$291.6m worth of sendings, up 20 per cent on last year), followed by the Netherlands (US$157.9m), Spain (US$106.4m), Ecuador, Colombia, the UK, France and Chile.
