Fresh avocado exports from one of Peru's key producing regions Lambayeque showed a year-on-year decrease of 23.6% for the first four months of 2012, website Agraria.pe reported.

The freight on board (FOB) value reached US$924,000 compared with US$1.2 million for the same period in 2011, according to figures by the Lambayequee Regional Exporters Association (AREX).

However, volumes for the first four months of 2012 were only 3.6% lower at 506 metric tons (MT) compared with 525MT in 2011 ,with prices at US$1.7 per kilogram compared to US$1.6 last year.

The Dutch port of Rotterdam accounts for 90% of all of Lambayeque's shipments, followed by Spain at 9% and France and Switzerland accounting for 1%.

AREX expert Carlos Ypanaqué Estrada, said the U.S. was the largest worldwide importer of avocados but for the last three years the country has not received any consignments from Lambayeque.

He said the Netherlands was second-highest importer of avocados with volumes increasing by 14% over the last five years and the price by 13% compared with world averages of 6% and 10% respectively.

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