Peru’s exports of fresh asparagus in 2020 were down 10% due to COVID-19 and internal transportation issues, but an increase is expected in 2021.
Exports of fresh asparagus are forecast to increase 16% in calendar year 2021, and will reach 138,000 metric tons, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The U.S. is the principal market for Peruvian asparagus exports and accounted for 75% of total fresh asparagus exports in 2020, according to the report.
The USDA said Peru’s asparagus production in calendar year 2021 is forecast at 370,000 metric tons, a 5% increase compared with 2020.
Production in 2020, the USDA said, fell 4% due to a labor shortage during the harvest season, a result of the strict national quarantine imposed by the government of Peru.
Additionally, the report said social unrest and roadblocks on major highways towards the end of 2020 in Ica and La Libertad regions also created a reduction in worker attendance and logistical constraints, particularly by preventing the pick-up of asparagus containers for shipping.
About 40% percent of Peru’s asparagus harvest occurs between September and December, though the dry climate prevents asparagus from entering a dormant stage. That allows Peru to be one of the few countries in the world where asparagus is harvested year-round, according to the report.
