14:30 | Lima, Jun. 27 (ANDINA).
Organic farming in Peru is advancing positions to be among the first in world markets. United States, Europe and Asia are popular destinations for Peru's flagship products such as asparagus or table grapes, but, thanks to the new global trend towards healthy products, crops such as coffee, cocoa or organic banana accounted exports for US$46 million during the first quarter of 2011, the Ministry of Agriculture (Minag), reported.
Raúl Chau, director of the Agricultural Promotion Association (ASPA) said that this increase in shipments is the result of the support of several international organizations and NGOs which are intervening in the Amazon, especially changing the coca leaf crops for coffee and cocoa (there is a significant effort of Devida in Tocache) and promoting the cultivation of organic bananas, thus shifting the banana production in Ecuador.
The same idea was shared by the president of the consultant Inform@cción and expert in agriculture, Fernando Cillóniz, who argued that these three crops, with table grapes and avocados, will show the highest growth rates in the next 4 or 5 years, according to La Republica newspaper.
The president of the Piura Central Association of Small Producers of Organic Banana (CEPIBO), Donald Lecarnaqué, highlighted the associative work of his institution and the way as they opened up new markets through certifications such as HACCP (got a week ago and demanded especially in Asia), Fair Trade or the global organic certify, he was quoted as saying on freshplaza.com
Organic bananas and exports of organic products during the first quarter of 2011 totaled US$17 million, 18% more than the same period last year. Donald Lecarnaqué said that they already export to Korea, China and Japan, in addition to their main markets: U.S., Belgium, Germany and Spain.
Freshplaza.com reported that between January and May of this year, coffee was exported for US$125 million, 53% more than same period of 2010, according to Minag. Also, the main markets are Germany, U.S. and Belgium.
(END) INT/PGS
Published: 6/27/2011