MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Riding on commodities boom, Peruvian exports reached 35 billion USD in 2010

President Alan Garcia called for a 70 billion USD export target by 2015

Peruvian exports in 2010 reached 35 billion US dollars, up 30% from 2009, said Foreign Trade and Tourism minister Enrique Ferreyros. He also pointed out in nine years the number of Peruvian companies involved in exporting jumped from 4.086 to 7.200 and markets from 155 to 178 markets.

Ferreyros said that export estimates for this year are in the range of 45 billion US dollars boosted by several trade agreements signed by Peru with Asian countries and North America.

President Alan Garcia who is stepping down next July 28 describes the dynamism of exports as “an unprecedented success” and called on Peruvians to keep working with the same speed and audacity so that by 2015, “Peruvian exports can reach 70 billion US dollars”.

“The excellent performance of exports means more jobs, more small and medium companies and an extraordinary influx of investments”, underlined President Garcia.

About 60% of Peru's exports are mineral related, and in 2010 they were worth an estimated 20 billion US dollars.

Peru is the world's second biggest producer of copper after Chile. It is the world's number one silver producer and it also produces a number of other metals including gold and zinc.

Peru is also a leading exporter of fish meal and other sea foods as well as agriculture products and textiles.