Peru's citrus exports are expected to show a 3.8% year-on-year rise this season according to figures from the Peruvian Association of Citrus Producers (ProCitrus), website Andina.com.pe reported.

It's forecast total citrus shipments will reach more than 80,000 metric tons (MT) by the end of August achieving a value of US$70 million.

ProCitrus general manager Sergio del Castillo, said exports until the end of June had reached 40,000MT at a value of US$32 million.

"Our volume of shipments are expected to increase slightly, driven by demand for mandarins, and we hope to exceed the 80,000MT and we are on that path, because July and August are our peak months of demand," he was quoted as saying.

He said mandarins and tangelos accounted for 84% of exports, followed by oranges at 13%, lemons at 3% and grapefruit 1%.

Europe accounts for 50% of Peru's exports, followed by the U.S. at 20%, Canada at 10% and other countries including Chile accounting for the remaining 20%.

Del Castillo said his organization, the National Service of Agrarian Health (SENASA) and the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Tourism were negotiating phytosanitary prermits to export to Japan, Korea and Brazil.

He said the climate had resulted in a more concentrated harvest affecting color change but that this had not had a negative effect on production nor market prices.

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