MEXICO: According to Scotia bank, asparagus exports during 2015 could amount to $560 million dollars, 2% less than in 2014.
The senior analyst of the Department of Economic Studies of Scotia bank, Erika Manchego, stated that this projection estimated the lower exports of canned and frozen asparagus would not be offset by the increased export of fresh asparagus.
The increase of fresh asparagus exports would be mainly due to higher average export prices because of the reduced presence of Mexican asparagus.
Exports of canned and frozen asparagus would continue to be low because of the reduction in cultivation and the lower yields of white asparagus produced in the north coast as a result of El Niño.
El Niño usually affects Peru because temperatures in the ocean and the coast increase, particularly in the north, and the level of rainfall is above normal.
The bank’s Weekly Report stated that 55% of the asparagus is grown in the north coast (La Libertad, Ancash, Lambayeque and Piura), while 45% is grown in the Central Coast (Ica and Lima).
Asparagus crops in the north coast are the most susceptible to the phenomenon of El Niño. However, the impact on crop yield levels will depend on the magnitude of the phenomena.
Manchego noted that during the first half of 2015 asparagus exports had amounted to $222 million dollars, 4% more than in the same period of 2014.
Peru is the world’s leading exporter of fresh asparagus with 35% of total exports in 2014, followed by Mexico with 34%. Peru was the main exporter of fresh asparagus to the United States until 2010.
Currently, Mexico is leading the fresh asparagus shipments to the United States with 57% of total imports from that country, followed by Peru with 42% of the total.
Fresh asparagus exports totalled $145 million dollars during the first half of 2015, 17% more than in the first half of 2014.
This contrasts with the 6% fall obtained throughout all of 2014, when fresh asparagus exports amounted to $383 million.
The increase in exports of fresh asparagus during the first half of 2015 is mainly explained by an 11% increase in the average export price to $3.14 dollars per kilogram, compared to the $2.89 dollars obtained per kilogram in 2014 (-13%).
The rising price of fresh asparagus during the first half of 2015 was caused by the lower Mexican supply, unlike 2014, when the Mexican offer decreased prices.
The smaller Mexican production would have been caused by weather problems, which affected imports from the United States. Mexican asparagus to that country fell by 27% during the first half of 2015, which favoured the importation of fresh Peruvian asparagus (+8%).
Mexico is the leading exporter of fresh asparagus to the United States and concentrate shipments in the first quarter.
Peru is the second largest exporter of canned asparagus with 40% of the total export volume, preceded by China with 47%.
During the first half of 2015 exports of canned asparagus totalled $63 million dollars, 11% less than in the same period of 2014.
In 2014 exports of canned asparagus totalled $149 million dollars, 1% more than in 2013. In both periods, the export volume decreased.
During the first half of 2015 the export volume amounted to 18,461 metric tons, 12% lower than in the same period of 2014. Total exports of canned asparagus in 2014 amounted to 44,010 (-6%).
