Peru's export activity generated 833,385 jobs between January and April 2017, up by 10.2% over the same period in 2016, the Association of Peruvian Exporters (Adex) reported on Wednesday.
Even though some sectors of the economy are still losing jobs, the 77,500 jobs generated say a lot about the reactivation of one of the top driving forces of growth and employment in Peru.
"What Peru needs is to reactivate all engines of growth, and export activity is responding better than others; therefore, we recommend that the Executive maintain the tax and employment framework that has contributed to the export success [...]," said Carlos Gonzalez, head at ADEX's Research Center of Economy and International Business.
This growth was due to an increase in mining activity, driven by higher copper and gold shipments as a consequence of an increased production in mining projects including Las Bambas, Antamina and Cerro Verde.
Such sector generated 226,504 jobs, 45,500 more than the observed data from the same period the year before, which meant a 25.1% increase.
Traditional exports generated 317,309 posts, 58,152 more than those reported in the first four-month period last year (+22.4%).
The second labor-intensive primary sector was
agro-industry with 57,587 jobs (+4.4%, meaning 2,408 new posts).
Greater employability was explained by the recovery in coffee and sugar; however, figures cannot be compared with those of previous years.
Next comes traditional fishing, with 30,537 jobs (+40.2%), as well as oil and natural gas with 2,681 (+123.5%).
(END) CAN/RMB
Published: 6/21/2017