Peru: El Niño and Export Controls Delay Peru’s Avocado Harvest

The 2015-16 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) weather phenomena, although weaker than originally anticipated, delayed Peru’s avocado harvest. Despite the delay, sources indicate that Peru is estimated to produce about 180,000 metric tons (MT) of avocados for export in Calendar Year (CY) 2016. This number is roughly equivalent to CY 2015 production. According to sources, export control measures contributed to delaying the harvest by one month. Despite lower overall production numbers, SUNAT (Peru’s customs and tax authority) reports 40 percent higher export volumes and a 50 percent increase in export values for the January-April 2016 period compared to 2015’s figures. Exports to the United States are estimated at about 45,000 MT for CY 2016. 

Peru: El Niño and Export Controls Delay Peru’s Avocado Harvest