Exports reached historical levels in 2021, leveraged by Ica, Arequipa and Áncash

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) reported that, in 2021, exports from the interior regions of the country reached a historical figure of US$ 40,804 million (72.6% of the country’s total exports), a figure 31% higher than that registered in 2020, and 23% higher compared to 2019, the pre-pandemic year.

The interior regions that contributed the most to national exports were Ica (10% of the country), Arequipa (9.4%) and Ancash (8.2%).

In 2021, despite the continuity of the health crisis, the Mincetur highlights that twelve regions achieved record numbers of shipments abroad: Ica (US$ 5,625 million), Arequipa (US$ 5,310 million), La Libertad (US$ 3,883 million) , Moquegua (US$3,064 million), Apurímac (US$2,999 million), Piura (US$2,974 million), Cusco (US$2,440 million), Puno (US$2,315 million), Lambayeque (US$920 million), Ayacucho (US$813 million), Ucayali (US$88 million) and Amazonas (US$45 million).

In this regard, the minister Robert Sanchez reiterated Mincetur’s commitment to continue providing support so that exporters at the national level have the tools to consolidate their shipments.

“We will continue working on the implementation of the Regional Export Plans that allow us to close the export and competitiveness gaps in order to expand the commercial opportunities of companies in the south, north, center and jungle of Peru. Thus, Peruvian products, especially those of our native biodiversity, will continue to conquer the different markets,” said the head of the sector.

In this way, based on the regularized export records in Sunat to date, a total of 20 inland regions of the country closed 2021 with positive growth rates compared to 2020.

These are Madre de Dios (+107%), Ucayali (+97%), Huancavelica (+61%), Puno (+59%), Ica (+52%), Apurímac (+46%), Loreto (+46 %), Arequipa (+44%), San Martin (+34%), Tacna (+31%), Cusco (+28%), Lambayeque (+27%), Moquegua (+23%), Ayacucho (+20 %), Áncash (+19%), La Libertad (+19%), Piura (+18%), Tumbes (+15%), Amazonas (+11%) and Junín (+1%).

Mincetur: exports by macro region

In the jungle (+58%), all regions increased their exports, such as Madre de Dios (+107%), due to higher sales of gold and chestnuts; Ucayali (+97%), due to higher sales of palm oil and cocoa beans; Loreto (+46%), due to higher oil sales; San Martín (+34%), due to higher sales of palm oil, hearts of palm, coffee and cocoa; and Amazonas (+11%), due to higher coffee sales.

For its part, in the central area (+33%), four regions increased their shipments abroad. Such is the case of Huancavelica (+61%), due to higher sales of lead and silver concentrates; Ica (+52%) due to the largest shipments of iron, copper, tin (from Puno), grapes, blueberries and avocados; Ayacucho (+20%), due to higher sales of gold, tare and avocado; and Junín (+1%), due to higher sales of silver, zinc and coffee concentrate.

In the north (+15%), five regions increased their exports, highlighting Lambayeque (+27%), due to higher sales of fruits such as blueberries, avocados, mangoes; Áncash (+19%), due to higher shipments of fishmeal and fish oil, copper and zinc; La Libertad (+19%), due to higher sales of fishmeal, avocado, blueberry and gold; Piura (+18%), due to higher sales of phosphates, crude oil, grapes and squid; and Tumbes (+15%), due to higher shrimp and banana sales.

Finally, in the south (+39%), all regions grew as a result of higher mineral sales. In Puno (+59%), due to higher sales of gold, copper and trout; Apurímac (+46%), Arequipa (+44%), Cusco (+28%) and Moquegua (+23%), due to the largest shipments of copper and molybdenum; and in the case of Tacna (+31%), due to higher molybdenum sales (+312%).