Peru’s Table Grape Exports to China Down 20% in 2023/24

According to a report from Peruvian media outlet Agraria.pe, Peru was heavily affected by the El Niño phenomenon for much of 2023, which significantly impacted table grape production and exports. In the 2023/24 season, Peru’s total table grape exports amounted to 516,185 metric tons, marking a decrease of 13% compared with the previous season. Export revenue reached $1.55 billion, representing a 6% increase from the previous season, with an average price of $3.01 per kilogram, corresponding to a 23% year-on-year increase.

In Peru, grape harvesting typically begins at the end of August, but this season farmers opted for early harvesting to minimize losses caused by adverse weather, aiming to have as much yield available for sale as possible. Harvesting had concluded by the end of November, approximately one month earlier than the initial schedule.

Compared with the previous season, Peru’s table grape production in the 2023/24 season decreased by 13%, although the extent of decline varied across regions. The northern regions, particularly Piura and La Libertad, were most affected by the high temperatures, experiencing a nearly 30% decrease in production compared with the previous season. These two regions accounted for almost 36% of the total export volume. In the central and southern regions such as Lima and Ica, which collectively represented over 55% of the total export volume, the situation was slightly better with a 6% increase in exports. This season, there was a notable disparity in supply between the northern and southern regions, in contrast to the previous season where the supply distribution was more balanced.

Owing to the early harvest, exports for the 2023/24 season commenced in August 2023, a month earlier than usual. Consequently, export volumes at the beginning of the 2023/24 season significantly surpassed those for the same period of the previous season, leading to a misleading growth expectation. The supply shortage experienced from the end of 2023 to the beginning of 2024 eventually impacted exports, however. Nonetheless, because this shortage was anticipated, the 23% increase in the average export price partially offset the decline in export volume.

Peruvian table grapes were shipped to 51 export destinations during the 2023/24 season, with the United States being the primary overseas market and accounting for 48% of the share, followed by the Netherlands (11%) and China (8%).

Peruvian table grape exports to the United States totaled 240,166 metric tons in the 2023/24 season, valued at $749 million. Compared with the preceding season, the export volume decreased by 13%, while the export revenue increased by 9%. The average export price to the United States ranged in the highest price bracket, varying from $2.49 to $3.12 per kilogram, reflecting a 25% increase from the previous season.

Peruvian table grape exports to the Netherlands reached 65,825 metric tons in the 2023/24 season, with a value of $173 million, indicating a 21% year-on-year decrease in volume but a 1% increase in value. A high average price helped offset the significant drop in export volume. The average price for exports to the Netherlands was $2.63 per kilogram, up by 29%, marking the highest increase among all markets.

Although the average export price of Peruvian table grapes to China increased by 10% to $3.24 per kilogram, placing it in the highest price bracket, exports to China still failed to grow. Peru shipped 39,935 metric tons or $130 million worth of table grapes to China in the 2023/24 season. Compared with the 2022/23 season, this corresponded to a 20% decrease in export volume and a 12% decrease in export value. The main exporters dealing with shipments to China were Agrícola Don Ricardo S.A.C. and Ecosac Agrícola S.A.C., which accounted for 15% and 9% of the export share, respectively. It is also notable that 61% of the total exports to China were destined for Hong Kong.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.