Peruvian asparagus harvest decreased 15% YoY in the first seven months 2020

From January to July 2020, Peru harvested between 10% and 15% less asparagus than in the same period of 2019, considering exports in all presentations (fresh, frozen and preserved).

The restriction of international commercial flights was not what most affected the asparagus industry but the increase in the cost of labor and internal transportation, putting pressure on production costs, that rose up to 30%. Mainly because exporters had practiced COVID19 measures to contain the spreading, by reducing buses capacity, commuting, and operations in the packing houses when applying social distancing.

As an exporter explained , destination countries have been increasing control measures as well: "Australia had our paralyzed, Japan made us regid compliance and checking processes, Europe made us a phytosanitary inspection on asparagus, which it had not done in 30 years of exporting this vegetable, now we have to go to Europe with a filter, and in the United States we now have a fumigation that It takes us out of competitiveness in relation to Mexico".

Currently asparagus is produced by small farmers and has to be protected since the large agribusiness operations of asparagus have been replaced by other crops.