Peru makes first moves in pineapple export game
Volumes are still relatively small, but pineapple exports from Peruvian smallholder farms have experienced strong growth this year.
According to public entity Sierra Exportadora, which provides training to growers in the province of Satipo in the department of Junín, shipments reached a value of US$15,626 in the first quarter of 2016.
This compares to a value of just US$800 for the same period in 2015.
Sierra Exportadora said the project focused on the Golden pineapple variety, which is characterized for its sweetness of between 14-18° brix and an agreeable texture.
The aim of the project is to boost productivity to 80-100 metric tons (MT) per hectare, given the great potential for the variety in export markets and domestically.
However, there are still challenges with crop management that are making the variety more expensive to grow compared to other varieties, the organization said.
Sierra Exportadora said the main target markets were the U.S. and the EU, which are currently mostly supplied by Costa Rica, Mexico and Ecuador.
"The Peruvian Golden pineapple has higher quality than the pineapples produced in Ecuador and Mexico, but it has much higher costs because the equipment used is not of the latest technology," the entity said in a release.
"Consumers in the northern countries of the European Union, because of their hectic lifestyles, are looking for convenient products, so they prefer canned presentations.
"In the case of the southern countries [of the EU], consumption of this fruit is more in fresh form. Consumers find it difficult to consumer, so it's better to export it in pieces.
Satipo is the leading pineapple-growing region in Peru.
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