Agricultural exports amounted to US$2.345 billion in the first quarter (January-March) of 2023, posting a decline of only 1% compared to last year, due to the damage caused by seasonal weather events, the
Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri) reported on Thursday.
In this period, traditional agricultural exports reached US$113 million, while non-traditional sales totaled US$2.232 billion.
For instance, the products that stood out the most in the non-traditional sector were fresh grapes, whose sales amounted to US$704 million and made up 32% of the total, fresh mangoes (US$184 million; 8.3%), fresh cranberries (US$155 million; 6.9%), avocados (US$130 million; 5.8%), animal feed (US$56 million; 2.5%), and frozen mangoes (US$55 million; 2.5%).
Other products that stood out in said segment include fresh or chilled asparagus, whose sales amounted to US$53 million and made up 2.4% of the total, other fresh fruits (US$44 million; 2%), other cacao beans (US$38 million; 1.7%), and other paprika (US$36 million; 1.6%).
Together, these 10 products accounted for 65% of the non-traditional exportable supply.
Fruits
As of March this year, the products that contributed the most to this increase included fresh grapes (27%), avocados (40%), fresh cranberries (25%), other cacao beans (38%), cochineal carmine (112%), animal feed (17%), crude palm oil (31%), other seaweed (57%), non-crushed and non-ground ginger (41%), fresh or chilled asparagus (15%), among others.
Furthermore, exports of fruits and vegetables stand out in the non-traditional sector, with sales totaling US$1.484 billion (accounting for 67% of non-traditional agricultural exports) as of March this year, an increase of 13% from March in 2021.
Additionally, the United States, the Netherlands, Mexico, Spain, China, Ecuador, Chile, Hong Kong, Colombia, and the UK made up the top 10 destination markets.
It should be pointed out that together they represented 79% of the total FOB value exported in the period of analysis.
(END) NDP/CAN/RMB/MVB
Publicado: 11/5/2023