+33 680 38 14 46
Peru-US citrus export volumes expected to hold steady
Peru
Sunday 20 April 2008
Peruvian citrus exports to the US will remain at similar levels to 2007.
Despite the fact that Peruvian citrus exports are tipped to reach a record 54,000 tons this season, with increased volumes heading to Europe and Asia, volumes of fruit heading to the US are expected to remain at similar levels to 2007 at approximately 23,000 tons.
"Up until last season, our main markets were in European countries like the UK and the Netherlands," Sergio del Castillo Valderrama, of ProCitrus, explains. "But in 2007, the US received nearly 50 per cent of our exports and became our leading destination. Even so, this year's growth will not be seen in North America because we plan to export the same level of volumes as in 2007."
Instead, the additional volumes will be exported to other developing markets Peru operates in Europe and Asia where Mr Valderrama explains that Peru has pulled out all the stops. "We are working intensely to open up the Chinese market and Peruvian exporters are also targeting eastern European and southern European markets this season."
Although Peru has been shipping its citrus to Europe for years, the nation first secured access to the US in 2006, after the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the success of Peru's fruit fly eradication programme as well as the elimination of other diseases.
Among those citrus items approved for export to the US were grapefruit, limes, mandarin oranges or tangerines, sweet oranges and tangelos. And, according to a recent USDA study, demand for citrus in the US will grow by 28 per cent through 2020, thereby providing Peru with a fertile market for future growth.
Despite the fact that Peruvian citrus exports are tipped to reach a record 54,000 tons this season, with increased volumes heading to Europe and Asia, volumes of fruit heading to the US are expected to remain at similar levels to 2007 at approximately 23,000 tons.
"Up until last season, our main markets were in European countries like the UK and the Netherlands," Sergio del Castillo Valderrama, of ProCitrus, explains. "But in 2007, the US received nearly 50 per cent of our exports and became our leading destination. Even so, this year's growth will not be seen in North America because we plan to export the same level of volumes as in 2007."
Instead, the additional volumes will be exported to other developing markets Peru operates in Europe and Asia where Mr Valderrama explains that Peru has pulled out all the stops. "We are working intensely to open up the Chinese market and Peruvian exporters are also targeting eastern European and southern European markets this season."
Although Peru has been shipping its citrus to Europe for years, the nation first secured access to the US in 2006, after the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the success of Peru's fruit fly eradication programme as well as the elimination of other diseases.
Among those citrus items approved for export to the US were grapefruit, limes, mandarin oranges or tangerines, sweet oranges and tangelos. And, according to a recent USDA study, demand for citrus in the US will grow by 28 per cent through 2020, thereby providing Peru with a fertile market for future growth.
