The International Trade Centre's (ITC) 2016 ranking places Peru as the third biggest avocado exporter in the world, private-run Foreign Trade Society (ComexPeru) underlined.
"Our avocado exports grew the most among the five leading exporting countries in the last four years," the guild affirmed.
Such sustained increase was possible after overcoming phytosanitary barriers —for instance in China— thus gaining access to new markets.
In the first half of 2017, avocado shipments totaled US$364 million. The 26 destinations were led by the Netherlands (37.4%), the United States (28.9%) and Spain (15.4%).
"Avocado was our star agricultural product in the first half of 2017 and joined products like copper and gold in our top 10 exports," the institution pointed out.
Grapes
ITC data also revealed the Inca country ranks sixth among global grape exporters, contributing 8% (US$662 million) of total grape exports in 2016.
ComexPeru informed grape shipments have reached "US$238 million so far this year, a 21.6% rise over the same period the year before."
In this sense, grapes were the Andean nation's second agricultural export in the first half of 2017.
Top Peruvian grape destinations are the United States (US$86 million), Hong Kong (US$44 million) and the Netherlands (US$26 million).
"It is worth noting there is still room for Peruvian grape exports abroad, as is the case of Russia, to which we supply 9.8% of its imports."
Tangerines
Also among key Peruvian agro-exports were tangerines, whose popularity is attributed to Peru's free trade agreements (FTAs) with the main consumers of this fruit.
Major tangerine importers Peru has no tariff preferences with —like Russia— thus prove potential trade partners to consider when negotiating agreements.
"Farming remains the second most relevant sector in Peruvian exports —only below mining— and it has enormous potential for further development," ComexPeru concluded.
(END) DHT/MVB