TOKYO: With the interest in Peruvian cherimoya continuously growing over the years, the fruit has gained particular popularity in Japan.
It is the same “special fruit” that Mark Twain once described in his travels. While in a small pacific island town, Kau, he confessed, “The pride of the islands, the most delicious fruit known to men, cherimoya.”
Cherimoya is a fruit native to the Andes, though is grown in South Asia, South and Central Americas, Spain, Italy, and California. It has a flavor similar to a creamy mix of banana and pineapple. CEO of Peruvian export company, Sierra Exportadora, Alfonso Velasquez told Andina news agency that the fruit has gained particular popularity in Japan.
“We have hosted trade missions from Japan that have identified Peruvian products to import including, among them, the cherimoya,” he noted. Japan’s growing interest in Peruvian products was demonstrated last year after an estimated $5 million worth of organic products were shipped to the foreign Asian country.
“The export activity will be important for the exotic fruit’s potential in the Japanese market,” he added. Sierra Exportadora is looking to export the pulp of the “most delicious fruit known to men” as potential markets such as Mexico, Costa Rica, and Uruguay have expressed interest in the product.
“Furthermore, the Cherimoya Cumbe Producers Association has managed to get S/. 150,000 (about US$ 47,528) to purchase machinery aimed at the classification, selection and transformation of the fruit in to cherimoya pulp,” Velasquez said.
