The high prices of coffee and cocoa in the first quarter of 2024 boosted exports from the Amazon region by 16%, reported the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur).
During the V Congress of Amazonian Entrepreneurs (CEA) 2024, the Vice Minister of Foreign Trade, Teresa Mera, explained that, throughout 2023, shipments of almost US$835 million were recorded, as a result of the agroindustrial, forestry, mining and hydrocarbon supply, among others.
The exportable supply of the Peruvian Amazon includes the regions of San Martín, Ucayali, Loreto, Madre de Dios and Amazonas, in addition to the jungle provinces of Cusco and Huánuco.
However, In the first quarter of 2024 alone, US$206 million in income derived from this offer was recorded, 16% more than in the same period last year thanks to the “good prices of coffee and cocoa in the world”explained the vice minister.
In this sense, Mincetur pointed out that there are great “sustainability” challenges in the Amazon community to meet global demand, in addition to high standards that still must be met.
To do this, Mera Gómez considered that larger productive centers must be established – currently, the largest productive force in the region is concentrated in MSMEs – that can offer an exportable offer with greater characteristics and under better quality seals. At this point, she welcomed San Martín’s proposal.
“We have 22 trade agreements that connect us with 58 countries of the main global economies, which represent 85% of international GDP. But there are things that we are missing, that we have to do together with the public sector, local governments, and private companies and Congress,” Mera said.
“We have to be serious. In other countries, the buyer does not punish the price of coffee as he does with Peru, because sometimes here they mix products of different qualities,” he added.
Connect the jungle with Chancay through the IIRSA Sur and IIRSA Norte
On the other hand, the head of Mincetur assured that the Peruvian Government is accelerating the technical tables to enhance the IIRSA South and IIRSA North highways, with a view to reaching the Chancay megaport.
“Why does a product that leaves from Iquitos have to travel to Amazonas, Ucayali, until it goes up Federico Basadre? A week or ten days pass, that makes it less competitive. In foreign trade, time is money,” highlighted the minister.
For this reason, Mincetur hopes that, after the inauguration of the Chancay megaport, the recently approved new Cabotage Law will allow products to leave from the north of the country to the Cosco terminal, or to Callao, failing that.
“The products will go to Chiclayo, they will go down to the port of Paita, and from there to Chancay or Callao,” concluded the vice minister.
Source: Larepublica
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