Industry body Procitrus said shipment volumes are expected increase by 10-12 per cent
Peruvian citrus exports are set grow by between 10 per cent and 12 per cent over last year’s 304,447-tonne total according to Sergio del Castillo, manager of industry association Procitrus.
The rise is primarily due to an expected increase in shipments of mandarins and Persian limes. As of week 18, exports of Satsumas and Nova mandarins were up 135 per cent on last year at 26,206 tonnes, while shipments of Persian limes were up 36 per cent at 28,525 tonnes. Del Castillo said the increase was due to a recovery in the production of early varieties following last year’s weather-related shortfall. He noted that the size profile, colouration and quality of the early crop are all favourable.
Exports are late mandarins, such as W Murcott and Tango, and oranges are also forecast to grow this season. Mandarins account for around 75 per cent of Peruvian citrus shipments.
Despite the improved production scenario, del Castillo highlighted several challenges causing concern to shippers, such as the rise in shipping costs, which are 50-100 per cent higher than last season.
“Varieties such as Satsuma, Nova, Tangello and Minneola, are particularly at risk because they have a very low return on profitability, so they are very sensitive to the increase in production costs,” he said.
Del Castillo noted that the higher logistics costs could prompt growers to allocate a greater proportion of their crop to the domestic market, which could negatively impact prices.
On the issue of tariffs imposed by the US – the biggest market for Peruvian citrus – he said that this would have little impact on shipments in the short term.
“We hope that the US remains the main destination of Peruvian citrus despite the tariffs, since all our competitors are facing the same tariff of 10 per cent, except for South Africa which faces a higher tariff,” he noted.
