Having gained U.S. pomegranate access last August, a group of Peruvian growers expects to export far higher volumes from the country as their campaign gets underway this week. 

The season had been wrapping up when access was announced last year, and so this campaign will see the first shipments to the North American country.

Fruit Growers Consortium of Peru (CPF) commercial manager Marianela Rodríguez told Fresh Fruit Portal some 130 containers of the tropical fruit were due to be exported in 2017.

"While pomegranates are a relatively new product for the CPF, we are projecting considerable growth," she said.

"We started exporting pomegranates in 2013 with three containers, and the projection for the 2017 campaign is to reach 130 containers."

Along with the goal of boosting exports on a yearly basis - exports have grown 25-30% annually for the last three years - she said the growers were also aiming to harvest as early as possible.

"In the case of the CPF we are starting our campaign in week 6 with the Smith variety, followed by the Wonderful in week 9," she said, adding the latter would represent more than three-quarters of volumes.

As for access to the U.S. - which has an irradiation protocol for Peruvian pomegranates - Rodriquez explained it not only presented great commercial opportunities, but also gave the rapidy-growing industry more destinations so as to avoid saturating the European market.

"The expectations are good in the long-term given the U.S. market's potential, but we will need to go in calmly and be conservative with the volume, which will be small in the first year of entry," she said.

Last season Europe received 81% of Peruvian pomegranate exports, followed by the Middle East with 9% and Canada with 4%.

As for growing conditions in Peru, Rodriguez said a lack of water in much of the country meant sizings in general would be slightly smaller this year, but added there was good external coloring.

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