According to the expert on agricultural issues and president of Information, Fernando Cilloniz Benavides, Peru will export 200,000 tons of table grapes in the 2014-2015 campaign and have revenues for nearly $550 million dollars.
"Table grape shipments are increasing every campaign. This season (2013/2014), we hope to export 170,000 tonnes, worth U.S. $ 500 million," he said.
According to him, fruit could become Peru's second most important agricultural export, displacing asparagus, in coming years. It is also poised to compete with coffee for first place.
Cilloniz Benavides explained that the increase in exports of table grapes would be, in part, due to the important productions of the regions of Ica and Piura and the plantations in Lambayeque and Arequipa, which were about to enter the business.
"Additionally, the country could increase the crop's area and perform quality viticulture if the Special Project Majes Siguas is implemented soon. There are many exporting companies, which have productive areas in Ica and Piura and want to be in Arequipa, that are interested in this irrigation project that will extend the campaign," he said.
The campaign has extended
Moreover, he stressed, Peru's table grape export season has extended year after year. In his view, this is a positive trend, as it proves that the global market is buying the country's late grape.
"Until recently, our shipments of grapes came to an end in January. It was absurd to report Peruvian exports of this product in the months of February and March, because Chile had already taken the market at that time. However, our campaign is coming to an end a little bit later every year and China and Russia are paying us well for the Redglobe grape," he said.
Cilloniz Benavides recalled that Peru's natural grape season was from February to March, but that they had had to advance their harvest due to the market and their competition with Chile, thus sacrificing productivity. "We are regaining that natural time period," he said.
