By Hillary Ojeda, Peru This Week
Consulting firm Maximixe sees production of bananas and plantains to increase 2.6% and bring with it a sum of US$ 136.9 million in exports in 2015.
The consulting firm announced that this 2.6% increase in production is a result of planting and management efforts in the banana haven of Piura and the rise of demand for the organic bananas in the European and US markets.
As for the increase in exports, the number of US$ 136.9 million is an expected increase of 20% compared to 2014, reports Maximixe.
Efforts to increase production have come from the National Commission for the Development of Life without Drugs (DEVIDA) and targeted regions of San Martin, Huanuco, and Ucayli, according to Gestion.
At the same time that productions are increasing and demand is rising, Peruvian banana and plantain growers are concerned for the European market.
“Last year, we exported 92% of what we produced to Europe, but this year we are reducing our volume of shipments to European destinations to 75% because we are afraid of what might happen to the Euro,” Aingeru García, manager of Assocation of Small Products of Organic Bananos (APPBOSA), told Fresh Plaza.
Despite these concerns for the European market, APPBOSA sees a positive start to 2015.
“We’ve had a really good start, with a record production and exporting between 19 and 20 containers per week; in 2015, we hope to reach 850,000 boxes,” said Aingeru.
Source: Peru This Week