The Peruvian ginger sector is struggling with quality issues at destination, high certification costs, and stricter phytosanitary controls in the fields and packing plants. In addition, yields are lower than normal. As a result of these issues, exports have declined in the 2024 season and producers must rethink their strategy to remain competitive in an increasingly demanding market.
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© Cultivemos"The shipments of November and December 2024 arrived with quality problems, largely due to internal ginger rot (coinciding with the beginning of the rainy season in the central Peruvian jungle). Since it grows underground, the problems are not immediately visible. Without continuous monitoring of the fields, diagnosis is difficult. We had to suspend shipments to Europe from January to avoid cost overruns due to repackaging and damage to our product and customer's reputations. This decision was widely supported in the sector. In the past ten weeks, the sector's focus seems to have shifted as the country exported an average of only 7 containers per week to Europe and an average of 20 containers to the United States every week. This decrease in exports to Europe is not only due to quality issues but also to stricter pesticide limits and organic certifications," stated Luis Cristóbal, a representative of Cultivemos.
"The Peruvian ginger harvest has been affected by the continuous rainfall, which makes access to the fields difficult. Roads are blocked by landslides, and personnel cannot reach the crops. Packaging yields are lower given the age of ginger, which could lead to a possible increase in the cost of raw materials."
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Field visits conducted by Cultivemos ahead of the new 2025 season show that production in Peru could be higher and that the incidence of rot is causing losses in some plantations. "Some producers have decided to harvest earlier than usual, without allowing the ginger to reach full maturity, to prevent their fields from being completely ruined," Cristóbal stated.
The sector must invest in continuous field monitoring and, above all, in improving farming practices to reduce the incidence of crop diseases and increase productivity in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner.
© Cultivemos For more information:Luis Cristóbal
Cultivemos
Peru
Tel.: +51 987 831 230
Email: luis.cristobal@cultivemos.pe
www.cultivemos.pe