The president of the National Banana Board (JNB), Valentin Ruiz Delgado, stated that Peru would export 10,400 containers of bananas in 2018 (200 containers per week), i.e. 25% more than the 8,320 containers it shipped in the previous year (160 containers per week).
According to Ruiz Delgado, this increase would be due to the recovery of banana plantations that were affected by the coastal El Niño.
"The plantations are recovering from the aftermath caused by the coastal El Niño, which caused plant stress, growth retardation, early ripening, root rot, and even the fall of plants," he said.
He also stated that the main destination markets for the Peruvian bananas were the United States, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Russia, and Japan, among others.
In addition, he said, the Peruvian bananas are entering more markets in Asia, especially in China and Taiwan.
Valentin Ruiz also stressed that the country needed to ensure the availability of water resources to develop the banana sector. Farmers irrigate their fields every two months but if they would increase production yields if they irrigate them every 20 days, he said.
"There are projects to continue increasing the area devoted to bananas in Piura but to do this we must first ensure the availability of water," he concluded.
Source: agraria.pe