Claire Dean
Claire Dean

Claire Dean

Travel in South America is a joy to behold. The rich variety of destinations, experiences, landscapes and geography fascinated me so much, that I chose to relocate here, over 20 years ago! The best thing I ever did! Allow me to share my knowledge and passion for Central and South America with you and help you plan your holiday of a lifetime!

What does Peru Export?

What does Peru Export?

4MINREAD

Written by:Claire Dean

Published: 2022-12-02

Peru’s economy is classified as an upper-middle-class economy by the World Bank. It’s also the 39th largest economy worldwide. Due to economic reforms that took place during the 2000s, Peru has become one of the fastest-growing economies globally. Peru is a resource-rich nation, which is both a source of economic stability and social and environmental instability. Mining operations and oil drilling are a threat to the natural environment, including within the Amazon Rainforest. The push and pull of multinational operations inside Peru, and the level to which successive governments provide access to resources, will likely remain a source of controversy and protest for many years to come.

 

A native of South America, the pineapple has changed the world and remains a popular fruit with the local people.  It is hard to imagine Peru without pineapple juice for breakfast! Junin is the largest producer of the pineapple in Peru and Peru exported 556 tons of pineapples in March of this year. This is 158% more than in the same month of 2023.  Find out more about Peru exports on Peru tour packages.

Peruvian Pineapple

 

Peru's Diverse Export Portfolio:

 
Peru’s main export partners are China (34 % of total exports), the United States (11%), Switzerland (7%), South Korea (6%), and India (6%). India, Chile, and Canada are also significant export partners with Peru.

As per the Economic Complexity Index, Peru constitutes the 59th largest export economy in the world, and also the 91st most complex economy across the globe. In the year 2014, goods worth up to 39.8 billion USD were exported from Peru. In the same year, the import of goods was calculated to be 42.3 billion USD. Being the fifth most highly populated country in South America with a population of almost 30 million, Peru has shown tremendous tenacity in terms of controlling inflation as well as unemployment in the last few years. Peru's economy is dependent on commodity exports, making the economy at risk due to price volatility in the international markets. The Government of Peru displayed little interaction in the public sector throughout the nation's history since the economy frequently experienced commodity booms. The extraction of such commodities has brought conflict within the country due to its environmental and social impacts.

 

Peru exported $7.4B in Gold, making it the 15th largest exporter of Gold in the world.  Gold was the 2nd most exported product in Peru. The main destinations for Gold exports from Peru are: Switzerland ($1.95B), India ($1.9B), Canada ($1.86B), the United States ($833M), and the United Arab Emirates ($668M). Inca gold has always been a useful commodity through time! Learn about Peruvian gold on your Peru tour packages.

Ancient Peruvian Gold

 

Mining

Mining is a major pillar of the Peruvian economy.

 In 2019, the country was the 2nd largest world producer of copper and silver. 

  • The 8th largest world producer of gold,
  • The  3rd largest world producer of lead
  • The 2nd largest world producer of zinc, 
  • The 4th largest world producer of tin,
  • The  5th largest world producer of boron
  • and 4th largest world producer of molybdenum.

Peru was once the world's largest producer of silver and was also one of the five largest gold producers in the world.

 

Peru is the second-largest producer and exporter of copper in the world. Peru has highly positive net exports in the international trade of raw materials such as copper, zinc, and molybdenum. Cooper is vital to Peru. Learn more about copper mining on your Peru holiday packages.

Peruvian Open-Pit Copper Mine

 

Petroleum and Derivatives

In 2020, Peru exported $1.41B in Petroleum Gas, making it the 29th largest exporter of Petroleum Gas in the world. In the same year, Petroleum Gas was the 4th most exported product in Peru.

 

While public transportation options are abundant in Peru, some travelers prefer the freedom and flexibility of using their own vehicles. Whether it’s a rental car or a personal vehicle, it’s essential to consider the cost of gas when planning a road trip when they visit Peru.

Peruvian Petrol Station

 

Peru Agricultural Exports

Peru is one of the 5 largest producers of avocado, blueberry, artichoke, and asparagus, one of the 10 largest producers in the world of coffee and cocoa, one of the 15 largest producers in the world of potato and pineapple, and also has a considerable production of grape, sugarcane, rice, banana, maize, and cassava; its agriculture is considerably diversified.

 

The widest variety of potatoes in the world are found on Peruvian soil. More than 3,000 types to be precise. Reason enough for Peru to appear on the list of leading producers of this amazing ancient tuber. Peru positioned itself as the leading potato producer in Latin America in 2019, recording an annual production of 5.3 million metric tons. It also ranked 14th in potato production worldwide. Learn more about the humble spud on your Peru Machu Picchu trip with a visit to the Potato Park in The Sacred Valley!

Peruvian Potatoes


Coffee and Cocoa

Peru ranks among the world’s countries with the greatest biological diversity and the fourth as regards the diversity of plant species. This is a key piece in understanding not just the world boom of Peruvian cuisine where chocolate fills a privileged niche, but also the great potential and quality of Peruvian chocolate. Good flavor, made possible by a combination of taste and scent, of drinking, bar, and other chocolate presentations, is the result of the combined effect of the diversity of species, soils, and climates for cacao. That is why Peruvian chocolate and more generally Peruvian cacao are gaining increasing world acceptance. Peru is also one of the world’s major coffee-producing countries.

 

Peru’s coffee is one of the most delicious and highly in-demand products in Latin America. Peruvian Coffee is slowly starting to be recognized as one of the greatest coffee-growing regions in the world. If you’re looking to taste the delicious varieties that Peru has to offer while visiting Peru, you can book a personalized Peru tour of the main coffee-growing regions!

Peruvian Coffee Plantation

 

Fish

Peru is an international leader in fishing, producing nearly 10 percent of the world's fish catch.

 

Commercial deep-sea fishing off of Peru's coastal region of over 3,000 km (1,860 mi), is a major enterprise. Peruvian waters normally abound with marketable fish: bonito, mackerel, drum, sea bass, tuna, swordfish, anchoveta, herring, shad, skipjack, yellowfin, pompano, and shark. More than 50 species are caught commercially. There are over 40 fishing ports on the Peruvian coast, Paita and Callao being the most important centers. Visit on Lima Peru tours!

Lima Fishing Boats

 

Vegetables

Peru exports Potatoes, asparagus, artichokes, paprika peppers, and onions.

 

Peru exports fresh asparagus to 41 countries around the world. Peru is also the largest exporter of canned asparagus. Exports of canned asparagus amount to 149.6 million dollars annually. The main markets are Spain, France and the United States. Americans consume over 500 million pounds of asparagus each year. Peru accounted for about 40% of the value of all U.S. asparagus imports. Sample Peruvian Asparagus on Lima gastronomic tours.

Peruvian Asparagus

 

Quinoa

In 2020, Peru exported approximately 51 million kilograms of quinoa, which represented an export value of nearly 124 million U.S. dollars. Compared to the previous year, the amount of quinoa exported from the Andean country increased slightly, from 49.5 million kilograms.

 

In the first month of 2022, Peruvian exports of quinoa reached 4,681,991 kilos, showing an increase of 71.7%  compared to that of January 2021. Likewise, grain dispatches in the first month of 2022 (4,681,991 kilos) represented an increase of 27.5% compared to what was recorded in January 2020 when 3,671,294 kilos were sent before the pandemic.  Health food sales are a main exportation, especially with Peruvian superfoods. These can be sampled when you visit Peru.

Quinoa

 

Manufacturing

Peru has developed a medium manufacturing sector. The sector now represents 23 percent of the GDP and is tied heavily to mining, fishing, agriculture, construction, and textiles. Manufacturing is mainly devoted to processing to gain a value-added advantage. The most promising sector is textiles, metal mechanics, the food industry, the agricultural industry, manufacturing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and services.

 

2018 was a good year for Peruvian textile exports. Driven by shipments of cotton products, such as T-shirts, cardigans and shirts, Cotton T-shirts were the products with the most exports, recording sales of US$ 324 million. This was followed by cotton shirts and cardigans with US$ 150 million and US$ 65 million, respectively. Peruvian cotton is some of the best in the world! Visit museums on lima Peru tours.

Peruvian Cotton Field, Ica

 

Tourism

Tourism has represented a new growth industry in Peru since the early 1990s, with the government and private sector dedicating considerable energies to boosting the country's tourist destinations both for Peruvians and foreigners.
 

 
Peru is a country that generates trust for foreign investors, as it continues to have one of the lowest country risks in the Latin American region despite political uncertainty during the recent change of government.  The country is also an attractive destination for high-end travelers on their Peru luxuy tours. They can enjoy unique experiences such as a picnic in the desert, a cruise on the Amazon River, or the Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu. Luxury train travel with incredible views on the Belmond Andean Explorer routes is a first-class way for investors and their representatives to see the country.

Tourist at Machu Picchu

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