After years of exponential growth in agri-exports, the head of a Peruvian agricultural industry body says the sector now faces the challenge of diversifying its range of products and overcoming infrastructure constraints.

Agricultural Association of Producer Unions (AGAP) president Ricardo Polis highlights one of the big developments ahead for exports will be the upgraded airport in Pisco, in the heartland of the horticultural hub of Ica and 245km (152mi) south of Lima.

He tells www.freshfruitportal.com the Jorge Chávez airport in Lima is no longer large enough to support all the needs for agricultural shipments via airfreight.

AGAP president Ricardo Polis

"We have a new airport for export in Pisco, south of Lima, which is already enabled and in any moment it will start in operation," he says.

"This airport will allow us to take the load off the Jorge Chávez airport by 20% approximately, as this is the amount of production that is generated in the southern zone - in Ica mainly - which could go from there.

"We have to progress much more quickly with the issue of ports and much more quickly with the issue of highways - it is taking much longer than it should and evidently this takes shelf life from fruit or the products that are sent abroad."

Polis also points to the great changes that have taken place in Peru's horticultural production, destroying myths about what can be grown where.

"Years ago it was thought that it was impossible to plant grapes in northern Peru because it is a tropical area, and we have all seen that table grapes in [northern] Peru are not just there but are of very good quality," Polis says.

"The same thing happened with citrus, which also shouldn't have grown in some zones and now it does. So, the country has very great potential.

"Today we are experimenting, with peaches, raspberries, and other products, but we still don't know if they will work. What is certain is that the research support is very strong and in the coming years we will see many new products."

Peru has found its place in the key markets of North America, Europe and East Asia, but logistical problems still exist for reaching the Middle East, Polis says.

"Unfortunately we don't have a good transit time for reaching the Arabic countries where there is the intention to buy - having 45 days in transit becomes very risky.

"So what we need to do is what we are doing, looking for the right shipping line that can take fruit to the destination in good time.

"To reach the Middle East you currently have a lot of stops, so we have to find a method in which the path is more direct. Consolidating cargo with Chile and Colombia could be an alternative."

Finally, he adds a point that has become very clear considering Peruvian government and industry's actions of late - the country needs to open up many more markets, because a lot more fruits and vegetables will be coming on-stream in the years to come.

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