16.6% increase in sweet onion exports volume in the campaign 2021/22

In the 2021/22 campaign, which began in late July and ended in mid-March, Peruvian exports of sweet (yellow) onions totaled 182,000 tons (7,000 containers of 26 tons each). This meant an increase of 16.6% compared to the 156,000 tons (6,000 containers) exported in the 2020/21 campaign, according to Miguel Ognio, general manager of the exporting company Key Peru.

According to the manager, the main recipient country for Peruvian sweet onions was the United States, which accounted for 80-85% of the total volume sent, and the rest went to Europe.

He specified that in the 2021/22 campaign there were logistical problems due to the lower frequency of shipping companies, container deficits, as well as congestion in the destination ports, which generated an increase in the cost of freight of up to 100%.

Due to above-mentioned problems, the transit term rose up to 100 days to reach the destination, mostly to the US West Coast (normally it takes 24 days to the West Coast and 17 days to the East Coast).

Ognio pointed out that Peru has between 3,500 and 4,000 hectares cultivated with sweet onions, the main producing regions being Ica (50% of the total area) and Arequipa (20%). Other regions: the small north of Lima and Olmos (Lambayeque).

source: agraria.pe