Fruit specialist, William Daga Avalos, stated that Peru had nearly tripled its starfruit hectares in the last thirteen years.
He indicated that, according to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, there were 100 acres of the product in 2000 and 282 hectares in 2012.
In that regard, he noted, the total production of starfruit in 2012 amounted to 3,102 tons, i.e. an average yield of 11 tons per hectare.
Currently, the main producing areas are: Chandigarh and Satipo (Junín), Tingo María (Huánuco), Iquitos (Loreto) and Pucallpa.
William Daga said that there were no records of Peruvian exports of fresh starfruit, but that the country had three tariff items (mix for juices, jams, pastas and other concentrates) in which it participated. In 2012 exports of these three concepts amounted to U.S. $5.5 million.
“We should pay more attention to this crop. It’s very abandoned. The starfruit should be industrialized as juice, nectar or jam because it has high demand in the international market,” he said.
Source: Agencia Agraria de Noticias
Translated by Freshplaza