IICA and FDA launch virtual platform in Peru to promote exports of fresh produce to the United States

El Gerente Central de Exportaciones de ADEX, Diego Llosa; el jefe del Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agraria de Perú, Janios Miguel Quevedo; el Analista Regulatorio Internacional de la Oficina Regional de la FDA para América Latina, Gonzalo Ibáñez; el Consejero Regional Agrícola de la Embajada de Estados Unidos en Lima, Anthony Gilbertel; el presidente del Comité de Frutas y Hortalizas de ADEX, Elkin Vanegas; y el Representante del IICA en Perú, Héctor Cortés. — ADEX Central Export Manager, Diego Llosa; the head of Peru’s National Agricultural Health Service, Janios Miguel Quevedo; the International Regulatory Analyst of the FDA Regional Office for Latin America, Gonzalo Ibáñez; the Regional Agricultural Counselor of the United States Embassy in Lima, Anthony Gilbert; the Chair of the ADEX Fruits and Vegetables Committee, Elkin Vanegas; and the IICA Representative in Peru, Héctor Cortés.

Lima, 17 June 2024 (IICA). In Peru, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have launched a virtual platform called “Growing Safe Produce,” which will afford producers of fresh produce access to training materials on the food safety requirements for exporting to the US market.

The launch took place in partnership with Peru’s Exporters Association (ADEX) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The value of Peru’s agricultural exports to the US currently stands at more than USD 10.202 billion.

“The digital platform developed by IICA with funding from the FDA is free to use, and contains self-administered training materials for farm owners, supervisors and workers on the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) introduced under the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). It includes online videos, posters, infographics and self-evaluation tools,” explained the Institute’s Agricultural Health specialist, Ana Marisa Cordero.

The launch event took place in the ADEX’s main auditorium with more than 65 participants from the public agriculture and trade sectors, the agricultural export sector and producers, among others.

“The digital platform marks a significant step towards improving the safety standards of Peru’s agricultural exports,” observed IICA’s Representative in that country, Héctor Cortés.

The Regional Agricultural Counselor at the US Embassy in Lima, Anthony Gilbert, highlighted the importance of Peru as a trading partner for his country. “Compliance with the regulations is essential for the growth of exports, so the platform will be of great assistance in achieving that objective,” he said.

The International Regulatory Analyst of the FDA Regional Office for Latin America, Gonzalo Ibáñez, gave details of the importance of Peruvian exports in the US market. The Andean nation ranked 14th among suppliers of fresh fruit imports in 2023, with its market share rising from 10% to 12% between 2021 and 2023.

Last year, Peru accounted for 40% of US table grape imports, 49% of blueberries, 16% of mangoes, 7% of citrus fruits, and 5% of avocados.

The Chair of the ADEX Fruit and Vegetable Committee, Elkin Vanegas, also reported that in 2023 Peruvian agricultural exports “had experienced exponential growth and were worth more than USD 10.202 billion, an increase of 4.2% compared to 2022.”

“This growth has positioned fresh blueberries, fresh grapes, asparagus and quinoa grains as the main export products, generating more than USD 5.681 billion,” Vanegas concluded.

More information:
Erika Soto Cárdenas, Specialist in Technology, Innovation and Agricultural Health and Food Safety at IICA/Peru.
erika.soto@iica.int