Peru grape exports expected to be up big in 2024-25, USDA says

Peruvian grape exports for 2024-25 are forecast to reach a record of 620,000 metric tons in the marketing year 2024-25, up 17% compared with the previous year.

The U.S. was Peru’s top export destination in the marketing year 2023-24 with exports reaching 244,000 metric tons (up 3% from the previous season), followed by the Netherlands with 70,000 metric tons (up 7%) and Mexico with 45,000 metric tons (up 21%).

An annual deciduous fruit report on Peru from the USDA estimates that grape production will total 790,000 metric tons in 2024-25, up 2% from the previous season.

The 2023-24 growing season was seriously affected by unusual weather conditions — such as heavy rains and high temperatures — that resulted in a lower harvest. Production in the north of the country (Piura, Lambayeque and La Libertas) was severely affected, the report said.

This year, the USDA said the expected increase in grape production is due to better yields in northern Peru (Piura), which was severely hit by an extremely hot winter and heavy rains last season.

Peru’s table grape production area stretches from north to south along the Pacific Ocean, the report said. Peru’s five most popular grape varieties for export are Sweet Globe (22%), red globe (16%), Autumn Crisp (14%), Allison (7%) and Sweet Celebration (5%). Currently, 75% of table grapes are licensed, and 25% are traditional non-licensed varieties.

Grape production is mainly located in Ica (49%) and Piura (37%), the report said. Other relevant areas are Lambayeque (6%), La Libertad (5%) and Arequipa (3%). The total area under cultivation is estimated at 87,522 acres, and the harvesting season in Peru begins in October and ends in April with a north-to-south harvest pattern. With innovative technological advances, table grape production in Piura can harvest twice a year, once in March/April and again in November/December, the report said.

In early November 2023, Peru’s newly refurbished Port in Pisco started to serve both Ica and Arequipa regions with weekly express services, the USDA said. The Pisco Port connects Ica with the U.S. via a trans-shipment hub in Panama (to Savannah, Philadelphia and Los Angeles), Manzanillo (Mexico), Vancouver (Canada) and northern Europe (Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Amberes, France).

Transit days on average will be 12 days to Philadelphia, 18 days to Mexico, 22 days to Los Angeles, 20 days to Rotterdam and 30 days to Vancouver, the report said.

“The port will support between 9,000 to 11,000 20-foot equivalent unit TEUS (New Panamax) vessels,” the USDA said. “This service will save time, reduce the cost of transportation and conserve the integrity of the grapes while in transit.”

The Pisco Port modernization project took five years to complete, and a $250 million investment, the USDA said.

Table grape exports in volume grew 40% from Pisco in marketing year 2023-24. Paita and Callao ports decreased by 31% and 36%, respectively.

For the 2024-25 growing season the Chancay Port, a multipurpose port scheduled to come online Nov. 14, 2024, may serve as an alternative as Peru’s main port in terms of traffic and storage capacity. According to official information, the Chancay Port will reduce shipment times to Asia, increasing the competitiveness of Peru’s foreign trade operations. Also, the Chancay Port is being considered by Brazil as a trade corridor to reach Asia since it will reduce delivery services to 12 days, according to the report.