The Peruvian Promotion Commission for Export and Tourism (PROMPERÚ) has reported that Peru’s first shipment of grapes to Japan -which consisted of a container with 2,000 boxes of Allison grapes- arrived at the port of Yokohama. This is the first shipment of grapes to arrive in Japan since the country authorized the entry of this Peruvian product to their market in March of this year.
This first container was sent by the Peruvian exporter Rapel (Verfrut) and is part of the approximately 70 containers that the Fresh del Monte Japan company plans to import during the next grape season. The product was received by representatives of the Peruvian embassy in Japan, PROMPERÚ through its Commercial Office (OCEX) in Tokyo, the CMA-CGM shipping company, as well as Japanese and Peruvian companies.
Inspectors of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan carried out a phytosanitary inspection of the container and certified that the grapes complied with Japanese regulations. They also certified that the quality, size, coloration, and other characteristics of the fruit matched the technical specifications given by the importing company.
In addition to Fresh del Monte Japan, Japanese companies such as Tokyo Seika Co, Mitsui Foods, Union Co, Farmind Co, and New Japan Produce have opted for Peruvian grapes because they consider it a high-quality fruit that can meet the demands of their consumers. According to projections from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism and PROMPERÚ, its demand may reach USD 17 million.
According to importers, the Peruvian grape’s export window -which runs from October to March- gives it a competitive advantage over the fruit from other countries such as Chile and the United States.
Grape is one of Peru’s most exported fruits. It’s the country’s fifth most important national agriculture product accounting for 4.6% of the country’s Agricultural Production’s Gross Value. Peru exports its grapes to more than 70 countries. The main destinations are the United States, with a 29% share of exports, the Netherlands with 13%, China (12%), Hong Kong (11%), the United Kingdom (6%), Canada and Thailand (4%), South Korea and Russia (3%), and Colombia (2%), among others.
Peruvian fresh grapes enjoy tariff-free access to Japan under the Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries (on a seasonal basis) and under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Source: Fresh Plaza
