Non-traditional exports totaled US$1.458 billion in March 2022, 32.9% higher than the value registered in the same month of 2021, explained by a growth of 23% in volume and 8% in average price, the Central Reserve Bank (BCR) has reported. During the first quarter of this year, non-traditional exports reached US$4.407 billion —higher by 25.2% compared to the same period in 2021. In the third month of the year, there were greater sales of fresh grapes (94.4% over the same month of 2021), blueberries (135.1%), and frozen fish fillets (89.6%), among other products. During the first quarter of 2022, the products sold the most abroad were fresh grapes, blueberries, and zinc products, whose annual growth rates were 21.5%, 122.7%, and 61.4%, respectively. In the region, Peru registered the second-largest increase in non-traditional exports over the accumulated period of 12 months thru last March —with a year-on-year expansion rate of 30.1%.
Regional leader
During the last five years thru March 2022, Peru led the growth of non-traditional exports in countries of the region —with an average annual rate of 7.2%. This result is explained by greater shipments of farming products (mainly fruits), as well as those from the textile, chemical, fishing, and iron-steel sectors.