Yesterday, Peru began exporting agricultural products through the General San Martin Port Terminal, in the city of Pisco, Ica region, about 325 kilometers south of Lima, stated the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur).
The Japanese shipping company, Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), will be shipping containers from the General San Martin Port Terminal on a weekly basis. By shipping them from this port, exporters won't have to transfer the goods to the port of Callao, in Lima, and save about US $500 per container.
The Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism and president of the board of the Commission for the Promotion of Peruvian Exports and Tourism (PromPeru), Magali Silva, welcomed the start of exports from Pisco.
"We have worked with the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) and the National Port Authority (APN) for the successful concession of the port of Pisco, and we are satisfied to see that the shipping industry is betting on establishing a first sea route from this port to the United States and Asia," she said.
Silva said the start of exports from Pisco was a milestone for the competitiveness in exports of the Ica region and its area of influence, and that it also contributed to the decentralization of export logistics.
"We hope this regional port becomes a logistics cluster in the south, so that it contributes to the great task of consolidating exports of onion, asparagus, citrus fruits, avocados, grapes, pomegranates, olives, garlic, fish products, and the apparel sector," said Silva.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Peru currently exports agricultural products worth around 5,000 million dollars a year.
