Even though world trade is affected by COVID-19, the Peruvian Government has guaranteed the country will continue its foreign trade and that the food sector will continue producing and shipping its products by putting a greater emphasis on compliance with the health protocols required by the current situation.
The government has established measures for the mobility of people and economic activity, within the limitations of the state of emergency that the country is experiencing, in order to ensure the exports of its products to its trading partners, which include EU countries.
To ensure health, organizations such as the National Agrarian Health Service (Senasa) of Peru are attending to prioritized activities in the field and in processing plants. As reported by this entity, its work also ensures the production of fruit on a smaller scale in the high Andean areas.
The transport of goods and activities related to exports is also guaranteed, from loading the products at the exporter's premises or wherever he determines it, taking them through the port, airport, or authorized border point, to their unloading at the importer's premises. The transit of the necessary personnel who provide services in these areas is also guaranteed, always following the required biosecurity measures.
The private sector, such as the Association of Agricultural Producing Guilds of Peru (AGAP), has coordinated actions with its companies to provide full security to the workers and the food supply chain, complying with all the indications, regulations, and protocols that have been issued by the Peruvian authorities.
Moreover, essential personnel are working to safeguard crops in field operations, processing plants, industrials, transportation, commercialization, and the supply of materials, supplies, and services needed by the agrarian chain, both for the domestic market and for export, following all sanitary protocols and according to each case, with certifications such as Global GAP, HACCP, BPM, BASC, SMETA, OHSAS 18001, and BRC, among others.
Finally, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur), the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC), the National Superintendency of Customs and Tax Administration (Sunat), and the National Port Authority (APN) have formed a monitoring group to promote the application of regulations issued by the national government to allow foreign trade activities. In addition, PROMPERU offices abroad will share this information and support the promotion of shipments in the current situation.
Increased food shipments
During the first two months of the year, Peru's total agricultural exports totaled 1,308 million dollars, i.e. 8.5% higher than in the same period in 2019, the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism recently reported.