Peru has established itself as the world's second-largest avocado exporter, trailing only Mexico. At the onset of the 2024 season, Peru recorded a 79.2% increase in export volume compared to the previous year. This growth is attributed to heightened demand from key importers, including the Netherlands, China, Hong Kong, Spain, and Chile. However, the Peruvian avocado sector encountered challenges due to adverse weather conditions, particularly the coastal El Niño phenomenon. This localized climatic event brought intense rains and elevated temperatures to the Peruvian coast, impacting multiple crop productions and driving up international prices in 2024.
Despite these challenges, Peru achieved a record in agricultural exports, reaching US$12.4 billion in 2024. The Netherlands emerged as a significant destination, with US$1.8 billion in agrarian exports, including US$409 million in avocados.
Amid global concerns about freshwater availability, the LAN team in Peru collaborates with the Water Stewardship initiative. Launched in 2023, this initiative involves 10 EU and UK retailers and traders, five Peruvian agro-exporters, three civil society organizations, and the Dutch Government through the Partners for Water program. The goal is to enhance the value chain's resilience via responsible water management.
The initiative unites international and local stakeholders to tackle water management issues at a catchment level, focusing on water availability, usage, and distribution. This aims to enable sustainable agricultural practices and future planning.
To date, the project has enhanced water retention and biodiversity by establishing 68 km of ditches and planting 9,000 native trees, integrating these efforts into a long-term water stewardship plan.
Source: MLVVM