Peruvian avocado exports to grow in the next years

Around 30 percent of Peru’s national production of avocado has as destination the international market; however it is expected that this percentage will be increased in the next years, said today the consulting firm Maximixe.

The firm indicated that even though Holland, Spain and the United Kingdom are the main buyers of Peruvian avocado, the lifting of the phytosanitary barriers by United States for the access of Peru’s avocado -planned for the first semester of this year- opens a great opportunity of greater sales abroad.

Even more because performance of avocado cultivation in the country is on top of the world average performance, he said.

"In these circumstances some companies are acquiring lands in the north coast of Peru to be in the capacity of responding to the US market demand from 2010, when this country starts to recover from crisis", he said.

And, this is due to the fact that US is the main importer of avocado.

Maximixe foresees that avocado production in 2009 will grow 5.4 percent due to the increase of cultivated lands and the continued growth of consumption.

In addition, the consulting firm said that the Peruvian production of avocado grew nine percent in 2008, as result of better performances in Lima, La Libertad and Ica, which allowed to increase the harvests in the year.