Peruvian pomegranate industry rising in Europe

Peruvian pomegranate exports rising to Europe

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Peruvian pomegranate exports rising to Europe

Peru made its debut in the pomegranate sector in 2008, with shipments destined for the international market.

Five years later, in 2013, the Association of Pomegranate Producers of Peru (Progranada) was born, aiming to support and empower the sector to achieve greater competitiveness.

According to phytosanitary watchdog SENASA, by the end of the 2022 season, Peru exported over 100 million pounds of pomegranate in more than 12 million 83 pound boxes. This represents an average annual growth of 24.3%.

Wonderfull, 116 and Kamel are among the most exported varieties, with Europe being its main destination with almost 70% of the total.

With these numbers, pomegranate is number 10 of the country's most exported products. This, according to the latest report "Development of Foreign Trade Agroexport" by the Department of Agribusiness of the Sub Directorate of Trade Promotion, PromPeru.

According to this analysis, by 2020, the sector came to represent 1.5% of FOB at the national level. During this period, pomegranate shipments had the Netherlands leading the purchase with 46%.

To date, the category has 2,350 hectares planted for the crop. These areas are concentrated in the cities of La Libertad, Ancash, Lima and Ica.

Exporters

As an exporter, Inka Select Fruit is at the forefront of this expanding industry.

The organization's pomegranate operations run from December to April, and focus on the Wonderfull variety, one of the most popular in the market.

Based in Arequipa and Ica, the company ships the fruit mainly to Europe and Canada in 83 and 99 pound cartons and 22 pounds in plastic containers.

Miguel Obando, general manager of Inka Select Fruit, spoke to FreshFruitPortal.com about the business potential of this product, which according to him has many unique characteristics, most notably its long shelf life.

"The Peruvian pomegranate is characterized by its good size, with firm and slightly acidic seeds. It is a fruit that is rich in vitamins C and B2, B9, as well as minerals and antioxidants. It also contains a large amount of fiber," says Obando.

He explains that it is precisely these properties that have boosted its consumption, despite the fact that due to its peel many consumers tend to leave it aside in favor of fruits that are easier to peel.

Although Peru uses other export formats for this fruit, such as frozen and rings (only the "arils" in containers of various materials), the company has chosen to favor the pomegranate in its most natural state.

Regarding the political crisis that the country is currently experiencing, Obando explains that pomegranate operations have been affected mainly in logistical terms. 

"For now our main problem is that, although the pomegranates have already been harvested and are in storage, at the moment they are not being able to be properly mobilized to the shipping points due to intermittent roadblocks," he explains.

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