The Peruvian asparagus industry is anticipating a better performance in 2010 following the difficulties of last year when sendings fell by 11 per cent.
In January, fresh and refrigerated asparagus exports reached some US$18.5m, down slightly on the US$18.6m recorded during the year-earlier period, according to the Peruvian Exporters Association (Adex).
Asparagus is Peru’s best-selling fresh produce item but last year sales were affected by the impact of the financial crisis on the country’s leading export markets.
That said, the US and Spain remain Peru’s leading markets for asparagus, according to Adex, absorbing some US$15m (or 49 per cent) and US$4.5m (15 per cent) in January 2010, followed by the Netherlands and France.
In January, sendings to the UK also rose (by 55 per cent), Adex said, as well as to Germany (53 per cent), Austraia (80 per cent) and Hong Kong (463 per cent). Other destinations included Japan, Italy, Mexico and Belgium, among others.
Peru also exported asparagus to five new markets in January 2010 – Iceland, Norway, Ecuador, the Dutch Antilles and Yemen.
On average, adex estimates fresh or refrigerated asparagus represents 61 per cent of the Peru’s annual asparagus export crop.
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