The Peruvian Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MINAGRI) claims the Indian market will open up access for the Andean country's blueberries and citrus fruit this year, following successful meetings in Lima. 

Photo: MINAGRI

In a release published today, the authority said in meetings held with Peru's National Agricultural Health Service (SENASA), a representative of India's Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage (DPPQS) confirmed the market would be opened this November. 

In exchange, India is expected to negotiate Peruvian market access for premium Basmati rice and mangoes, with varieties that are quite different to the standard cultivars available in Peru.

During the visit, DPPQS representatives have visited production and packing sites for blueberries and citrus in the La Libertad and Ica regions. 

MINAGRI highlighted the technical visit stemmed from agreements reached in bilateral negotiations held in New Delhi in February.

In August last year the Indian market opened for Peruvian avocados, while in April this year the South Asian country granted access for Chilean blueberries and avocados. 

According to UN Comtrade statistics, Peru's exports of citrus worldwide totaled US$145.8 million last year, with 129,356 metric tons (MT), while exports of the genus 'vaccinium' - for which blueberry is the main component - were US$237.1 million, or 27,239MT. 

Peru also gained access to the Brazilian blueberry market this year, and in that announcement Peru’s Agricultural Association of Producer Unions (AGAP) said total exports worldwide for the fruit reached US$241 million last year. 

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