In 2023, Peru shipped 47 agro-industrial products worth US$369 million to China, among which blueberries, grapes, and avocados stood out, the Peruvian Exporters Association (Adex) has reported.
"It is a huge market that offers us great opportunities. Therefore, we must make progress on the pending agenda," said Adex Exports Central Manager Diego Llosa.
Within this framework, he said that —according to Trademap data— the Asian nation imported agricultural sector goods worth US$207 billion from all over the world in 2023.
Agro-exporting potential
"We grow food that we export to other markets, but not to China. According to a report by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur), one of them is palm oil, which in 2023 was imported by the Asian country for a value of US$5.1 billion, mainly from Indonesia; others are sugar and bananas," he mentioned.
In Peru's agro-industrial supply, blueberries stand out, which in 2023 accounted for 35.4% of the total agro-industrial goods exported to China, followed by grapes (21%), avocados (18%), fresh and chilled seaweed (11.4%), plus tara powder (7.5%).
Its population is enormous, relies on great economic power, as well as a growing willingness to consume new and natural products.
In this regard, public-private collaboration must aim to make the most of existing opportunities, he said.
Llosa emphasized the need to strengthen the productive capacities and commercial intelligence of agricultural companies, guilds, as well as of cooperatives on the coast, highlands, and jungle, which will expand the export base.
Shipments grew 18-fold
The ADEX officer stated that China is historically a large buyer of Peruvian minerals, although in recent years and thanks to the current trade agreement, it has greatly increased its demand for agro-industrial products.
"From 2009 —a year before the FTA came into effect— to 2023 the FOB value increased 18 times," he remarked.
Diversification opportunity
The ADEX officer detailed that fruit imports by the Asian Giant grew 13.4% in 2023 and 16% annual average since 2019.
Therefore, Llosa said Peru could improve its position as China's fruit supplier in Latin America.
Currently, our country ranks second, only surpassed by Chile, although with a considerable difference, he noted.
"The Asian market emerges as an unavoidable opportunity for the diversification of Peruvian exports; that is why we must make progress on the pending agenda," he concluded.
Data
Peru's agro-industrial exports to China climbed from US$19.415 million in 2009 to US$369 million last year.