First shipment of Peruvian chestnuts make Chinese market debut

Written and reported by Camila Gutiérrez

The Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI) announced that the country completed the first shipment of 24 tons of Peruvian chestnuts to China, a strategic market with over 1.4 billion consumers.

The export, originating from the Madre de Dios region, represents a significant boost for the local economy, stated MIDAGRI in a press release. This is especially true for producing areas like the district of Las Piedras and the province of Tambopata, where chestnuts are one of the main products driving sustainable development and a source of income for hundreds of Amazonian families.

The journey for Peruvian chestnut exports began in November 2024 when, during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the countries agreed on a phytosanitary protocol ensuring the product would not carry quarantine pests such as Hypothenemus hampei and Callosobruchus maculalus. Additionally, the document stipulated that chestnuts would be exported shelled, dehydrated by ovens or dryers, and free of live insects and other impurities.

Peruvian chestnut shipments under strict supervision

Prior to shipment, inspectors from Peru’s National Agrarian Health Service (SENASA) conducted a rigorous phytosanitary inspection of the cargo, verifying compliance with the stringent sanitary requirements established by the Chinese authority.

According to the SENASA report, Madre de Dios is the main producer and exporter of chestnuts in the country. So far this year, shipments have sailed to Germany, France, and Russia.

In Peru, chestnut collection is carried out sustainably, keeping trees standing and promoting the conservation of chestnut forests, which are considered large carbon capturers and critical allies against climate change.

*All images courtesy of MIDAGRI.

Related stories

Peruvian pecans break into Chinese market

As Peru gets crowned as the world leading table grape exporter, China emerges as major threat