{"id":2101,"date":"2026-08-10T11:57:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T16:57:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ifssac.com\/blog\/?p=2101"},"modified":"2026-08-10T11:57:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T16:57:01","slug":"from-quinoa-to-blueberries-perus-most-well-traveled-agricultural-exports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ifssac.com\/blog\/en\/from-quinoa-to-blueberries-perus-most-well-traveled-agricultural-exports\/","title":{"rendered":"From Quinoa to Blueberries: Peru\u2019s Most Well-Traveled Agricultural Exports"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Blueberries generated USD 2.505 billion in exports in 2025, making them the undisputed star of Peru\u2019s agricultural sector. However, they reached only 51 countries. Quinoa generated sixteen times less, with USD 153 million in exports, but reached 73 countries. When products are ranked by the number of destination markets, the leaders are not the major fruits, but Andean grains, herbs, and natural colorings. Fresh Fruit Peru analyzed the 399 tariff subheadings exported in 2025 to identify which products reach the largest number of markets, who exports them, and what has changed since 2022.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a pioneering analysis, Fresh Fruit Peru evaluated exporting companies not only by their export value, but also by the number of destination markets reached by their products (see the related article)<\/a>. The analysis showed that export value and geographic reach usually tell two different stories. Based on these findings, Fresh Fruit Peru also analyzed exported products by comparing both their export value and the number of destination markets they reached. This approach also revealed new insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fresh fruit exports generate very high sales from a small number of major buyers, mainly the United States, the Netherlands, and China. In contrast, a container of quinoa, maca, or annatto can be sold almost anywhere in the world. These products are shipped in smaller volumes, have a longer shelf life, and do not require complex phytosanitary protocols. As a result, the products with the lowest export value are often the ones with the widest global reach. This also has practical implications. It shows which product groups are better prepared to withstand the loss of a market, where there are opportunities for new exporters, and which products have already reached almost every possible destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the Analysis Was Conducted<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The analysis was based on Peru\u2019s agricultural export records (DAM) from 2022 to 2025, using completed annual data, plus preliminary data for the period from January to June 2026, with information available as of June 30. A \u00abproduct\u00bb refers to a tariff subheading using the six-digit Harmonized System classification, and a \u00abmarket\u00bb refers to a destination country that received at least one shipment during the period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three important points to consider. First, some tariff subheadings include more than one product. For example, \u00abfrozen fruits\u00bb includes frozen mango, avocado, and blueberries, while \u00abherbs and medicinal plants\u00bb includes oregano, chincho, mu\u00f1a, and similar products. Second, the annual ranking compares only completed years. Finally, the 2026 results are presented separately because seasonality affects each product differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ranking: Andean Grains Reach More Markets Than Fresh Fruit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Quinoa is Peru\u2019s most widely traveled agricultural product, reaching 73 markets in 2025,<\/strong> nineteen more than grapes and twenty-two more than blueberries. It is followed by two product groups that are almost invisible in export value rankings: herbs and medicinal plants, with 60 destination markets, and maca powder, with 58. Only in fourth and fifth place do the major export products appear: frozen fruits, with 56 markets, and coffee, with 55. Peru\u2019s two largest agricultural exports by Free On-Board value, grapes and blueberries, reached 54 and 51 markets respectively, while avocados, the country\u2019s fourth largest agricultural export by value, reached only 42.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The infographic clearly shows the overall pattern: market reach cannot be measured by export value alone. Coffee requires USD 1.9 billion in exports and 274 exporting companies to reach 55 markets. Maca reaches 58 markets with only USD 20 million in exports and 147 exporters, most of them small and medium sized companies. Annatto coloring represents one of the most remarkable examples, reaching 52 destination markets with only 30 exporters and USD 47 million in exports, giving it the highest market reach per exporter among all the products analyzed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The list of leading products also reveals an important business finding: the products with the widest market reach are rarely dominated by a single exporter<\/strong>. In quinoa, the largest exporter accounts for only 19% of total export value. In mangoes, the leading exporter represents 7%, and in grapes, 9%. These markets are supported by dozens of medium sized exporting companies rather than a few dominant players. There are only a few exceptions. In cocoa powder, Machu Picchu Foods accounts for 73% of exports, while Danper represents 31% of preserved vegetables. As highlighted in our previous article on the exporter ranking, niche markets tend to be more concentrated, while high volume markets are shared among a much larger number of companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concentrated Giants, Global Travelers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Comparing export value and market reach across the 399 tariff subheadings in 2025 confirms that they tell two different stories. The average tariff subheading reaches only six markets, and 47 products are exported to just one destination. Above that average, two very different groups stand out. On one side are the concentrated giants. Blueberries generate USD 49 million for every market they serve, grapes USD 38 million, and coffee USD 35 million. On the other side are the global travelers. Quinoa generates only USD 2.1 million per destination, while maca generates USD 300,000. In other words, blueberries are a business built on depth, while quinoa is a business built on market coverage.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These findings are also important for risk management. A regulatory issue in a single major market could reduce fresh fruit exports by hundreds of millions of dollars. In contrast, the Andean product basket, including quinoa, maca, and herbs, has its demand spread across dozens of destination markets, where no single country is essential. One group generates most of the industry\u2019s revenue, while the other provides greater resilience against market disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Gained the Newest Markets Since 2022? Blueberries by a Wide Margin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Between the completed years of 2022 and 2025, blueberries recorded the largest increase in the ranking, expanding from 33 to 51 markets and adding 18 new destination countries in just three years. <\/strong>This expansion reflects the sector\u2019s strategy, reaching Eastern Europe, including Poland, Russia, T\u00fcrkiye, and Georgia; the Gulf region, including Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain; Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and Bangladesh; and Central America and the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cura\u00e7ao, and Aruba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frozen fruits and fresh mangoes followed, each adding seven new markets. In contrast, maca lost five destination markets and chia lost six. Quinoa decreased slightly from 74 to 73 markets but remained the leader, a position it has held since before 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026 Update: Quinoa Is on Track to Set a New Record<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first half of 2026 already shows strong results. Between January and June, quinoa reached 69 markets, representing 94% of the total markets it reached during all of 2025,<\/strong> with six months still remaining in the year. Annatto coloring has already exceeded its annual record, reaching 53 destination markets during the first half of the year compared to 52 during all of 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, these results should be considered together with the seasonal export patterns of each product. For blueberries, 88% of annual export value is shipped during the second half of the year. Coffee reaches 81%, and grapes 71%. For this reason, neither grapes nor blueberries appear among the top ten products during the first half of the year. Their main export season begins in July. In contrast, Andean products are exported more evenly throughout the year. Quinoa ships 58% of its annual volume during the second half of the year, while annatto reaches 51%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If these seasonal patterns continue, three outcomes are highly likely by the end of 2026. Quinoa is expected to set a new record for market reach, as 69 markets during the first half of the year project comfortably above 75 markets for the full year. Annatto is also expected to achieve its highest number of destination markets on record. Fresh fruit exports are likely to recover their position during the second half of the year, as the export calendar moves into their peak season. Blueberries added 18 new markets between 2022 and 2025, and there is nothing in the first half of 2026 to suggest that this expansion has slowed. These projections are based on seasonal patterns rather than a predictive model. However, unlike companies, agricultural products tend to follow very consistent seasonal trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Findings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n