US demand for Peruvian fresh fruits and vegetables will not be affected by the ongoing financial crisis, except for some high-price market niches such as organic products, according to the US-based Produce Marketing Association (PMA).
Despite comments made last week by Peruvian Agriculture Minister Ismael Benavides, Nancy Tucker, international vice-president of the PMA, claimed that even though the financial crisis is forcing many in the US to be more cautious in terms of spending, the sale of fruits and fresh vegetables in supermarkets has not been affected in the same manner as other consumer goods.
Ms Tucker added that in order to save money, many in the US are likely to eat out less at restaurants in favour of cooking at home more regularly, hence why the retail sales of fruits and fresh vegetables have gone through recession periods in the past.
Despite the positive news, Ms Tucker did warn that fresh produce sales could be impacted by price increases, as happened at the beginning of the year due to the rise in fuel, inputs and transportation costs.
