Peru secures most buyers for 2012-13 mango campaign

July 10 , 2012

More than 90% of Peru's predicted mango shipments for the forthcoming season from November to March 2013 have been secured in Europe and the U.S., website Andina.com.pe reported.

Peruvian Association of Mango Exporters (APEM) president Juan Rivera, said businesses in the Netherlands, England, Spain and the U.S. were waiting for the country's upcoming shipments.

Rivera added that Europe's recession did not appear to have affected people's mango consumption.

"Contrary to what one might think when there is an economic crisis, families do not reduce their spending on food but on travel and buying luxury goods. So the demand for mangoes is constant," he was quoted as saying.

He said 55% of exports are shipped to Europe, 35% to the U.S. with the remainder going to Japan, China and New Zealand.

Peru's exports to Japan this season are expected to double to 600 metric tons (MT) with a further duplication in volume of 1,200MT predicted for 2013-14.

The Lambayeque department accounts for 75% of production, followed by Piura with 15% and 10% in Áncash.

Rivera said last year's season was cut by 50% due to weather conditions from 130,000 metric tons (MT) to 70,000.

"The weather was not conducive to the flowering of mango, a fruit that is very sensitive to environmental factors."

He said so far production was expected to be in the range of 70,000-80,000 MT for the next season, with official projections available in August when the mango flowering season finishes.