Regional exports, without taking into account Lima and Callao, ended the year 2016 at US$24 billion, up by 5% with respect to 2015 (US$22.952 billion), the Association of Peruvian Exporters (Adex) revealed.
This way, Arequipa led the ranking for second consecutive year.
This favorable outcome was underpinned by the traditional sector, accounting for 70% of total exports.
According to Adex, 18 out of the 25 regions in inland Peru see primary sector as the most important, and only six regions (excluding Lima and Callao) achieved a positive growth in 2016.
Arequipa's exports (over US$4.417 billion) grew 42.6% and represented 18% of regional shipments.
The main items were copper, gold, silver, molybdenum, meal, unfrozen artichokes and fresh grapes.
They also included iron bar, unalloyed steel, alpaca fiber, yarns, orthoboric acid and cochineal carmine, which reached 81 markets, mainly China, the United States, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, India, Bolivia and South Korea.
Ica was the second largest exporting region (US$ 2.739 billion) with a 9.5% fall. Traditional exports contracted 14% and non-traditional ones dropped 2.5%.
Gas accounted for 21% of Ica's total exports, followed by tin, iron, fresh grapes, fresh asparagus, fishmeal, and copper. The United States and China were the principal markets, accounting for over 50% of total exports.
The third largest exporting region was Ancash (US$ 2.675 billion), with a decrease of 3.1%.
Copper accounted for 70% of shipments, zinc 9.2% and fishmeal 7.4%. Other products included fish oil, molybdenum, scallops, fresh mangoes, lead, fresh asparagus, peas, gold and avocados.
Next in the ranking were La Libertad (US$ 2.459 billion), Piura (US$ 2.010 billion), Cajamarca (US$1.549 billion), Apurimac, Puno, Moquegua and Cusco.
(END) JJN/JJN/RMB/MVB
Published: 3/2/2017