MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Sharp increase in Peruvian exports reported

“This performance is a clear sign of the importance of the sector for the development of the national economy,” Galdo noted

Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) confirmed Monday that exports from the South American country went up 7.2% yoy in the first semester of 2024, totaling US$ 33.046 billion thanks to a combined increase in prices and volumes. In June alone, exports grew 11.6 % year-on-year, reaching US$ 6.032 billion due to higher sales of fishery products (186%), particularly of anchovies.

Metallic mining (+60.9%) and agriculture (+34.4%) sales abroad made up for lower sales of fish and hydrocarbons, Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Elizabeth Galdo explained.

Gold exports amounted to US$ 5.744 billion (+51.9%), due to an increase in volume and price, which reached record values. However, copper (the country's main export product) fell 1.2% due to a reduction in volume.

Agrifood shipments totaled US$ 4,486 million between January and June, a 12.5% interannual growth driven by higher cocoa sales (+166% or US$ 430 million yoy) amid record prices.

Fruit exports grew 6.4% due to higher sales of blueberries (+87.3%) and avocado (+29.5%). On the negative side, vegetables fell 4.5 % overall despite a 52.6% increase in onion shipments.

“This performance is a clear sign of the importance of the sector for the development of the national economy. Economic growth and more employment are the result of the policy promoted by Mincetur,” Galdo pointed out.

Also during the first semester, the regions of Puno, Huanuco, Loreto, Ucayali, Amazonas, Tacna, Pasco, Moquegua, La Libertad, Ica, Ancash, San Martin, and Ayacucho posted significant export increases.

Peruvian exports were present in 181 markets, with Asia accounting for 52% of all shipments. The Americas bought 31% and Europe 16%. Divided by countries, China represented 35% of Peru's sales, the United States 13%, the European Union 11%, and Canada and India 5% each. ”China was the first destination for the export of minerals (51%) and fishery products (43%),” Galdo's report also mentioned.