Despite heavy rains and seasonal floods, the agricultural sector's growth during the first quarter of the current year (January-March) was driven by the production of blueberries, which increased by 37.5% over the same period in 2022, the
has reported.
The agricultural subsector experienced a 0.3% growth boosted by various products in this period.
During the first quarter, blueberries increased by 37.5% (due to the larger production area in Lambayeque, Ica, and La Libertad regions). They were followed by tangerines 12.7% (production area increased in Lima); oil palm 11.7% (greater area installed in Ucayali); among others.
A higher production of grapes (9.9%) was also registered (greater production area in Ica, Piura, and Lima); followed by those of hard yellow corn 9.0% (greater area planted and harvested in San Martin, Madre de Dios, and Ucayali); paddy rice 7.2% (greater area harvested in La Libertad, Piura, and Lambayeque); mangoes 5.6% (higher production in Piura); among others.
Blueberry shipments
It should be noted that blueberries are the main exported farming product, registering sales worth over US$1.364 billion at the end of 2022.
Likewise, Peru ranks first in terms of value (2021) as the main world supplier of blueberries —with a 25% share.
Blueberry exports reached 32 markets, such as the United States, the Netherlands, China, Hong Kong, England, and Spain, mainly.
The ministry announced that Peruvian fruits have conquered 93 international markets registering sales worth over US$4.806 billion as recorded in 2022.
The livestock subsector decreased by 0.9% during the analyzed period. This result was due to the -1.4% reduction in chicken production (in La Libertad, Arequipa, and Piura regions).
This was due to of the low placements of BB chickens in January and February 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, given the incidence of bird flu, added to the shortage of food supplies, such as soybeans and hard yellow corn.