The latest figures from the US department of agriculture indicate that Peru expects to harvest 200,000 tonnes of asparagus in 2006, up from 196,000t this year and an estimated 190,142 MT in 2004. The Andean nation is able to produce year round thanks to ideal climatic conditions and exports its green spears to the US and UK.
Ica, 300km south of Lima, produces green asparagus mainly for fresh export and Arequipa, 1,000km to the south of the capital is also starting to develop production of this crop.
Fresh asparagus exports in 2004 reached 72,049t; increasing seven per cent compared to the previous year and are expected to reach 76,000t in 2005.
The U.S. continues to be the largest market for Peruvian fresh asparagus, accounting for 76 per cent of the market and 53 per cent of the total Peruvian asparagus market in 2004.
Most Peruvian exporters agree that the world asparagus market has reached a mature level. Since asparagus supply in the US has increased faster than demand, Peruvian exporters have seen a sharp reduction in prices.
But the sector is responding and exporters have implemented a check-off system to finance marketing programs which include promotion of consumption, plant-health protection, quality control certification and an information system to supply producers with the latest developments on worldwide and national production and prices. All these activities are carried out by the Peruvian Asparagus & Horticulture Institute (IPEH), which was established in 1998, in an effort to increase marketing activity as well as improve relations with the government.
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