Peru remains world’s top grape exporter with 706,379 tons, eyes Africa
The leading export varieties are Sweet Globe at 26%, Autumn Crisp at 21%, Allison at 11%, and Red Globe at 10%.
PERU – Peru has exported 706,379 tons of table grapes to 53 international markets during the 2025-2026 campaign, cementing its position as the world’s leading grape exporter for the third consecutive year.
The United States received 52% of shipments, followed by the Netherlands at 12% and Mexico at 9%.
A key factor in this success has been the use of cold treatment technology in ships’ refrigerated holds, enabling compliance with phytosanitary requirements, particularly for the US market.
The treatment involves storing fruit at low temperatures for a set period to eliminate or inactivate immature stages of fruit fly without compromising product quality. Senasa supervised 33,280 cold treatments in packing plants throughout the season, enabling the shipment of 685,575 tons of grapes.
For investors and logistics providers across Africa and the Middle East, Peru’s cold chain technology sector offers opportunities. The specialized treatment equipment, monitoring systems, and training programmes required for certification could be adapted for other fresh produce exports from developing regions seeking access to premium markets.
While North America and Europe remain dominant destinations, the industry is actively seeking to expand into Africa. Peru’s grapes now have access to 97 international markets through collaboration between Senasa and the Association of Table Grape Producers.
The leading export varieties are Sweet Globe at 26%, Autumn Crisp at 21%, Allison at 11%, and Red Globe at 10%. These varieties are well known in global markets for their high quality. The season runs from July to June and features more than 50 varieties of table grapes.
To sustain growth, Senasa approved 121 packing plants and certified 23,356 hectares of crops, primarily in Ica (50%) and Piura (34%). These results stem from collaboration among producers, agricultural organizations, and authorities, who have strengthened integrated fruit fly control under Senasa’s technical guidance.
As a matter of fact, Peru’s export success offers lessons in government-industry collaboration, cold-chain investment, and market diversification. Rigorous certification of packing plants and the cultivation of popular, high-quality varieties ensure that Peruvian produce remains competitive and gains broader global access through collaborative agricultural oversight.
As Peru targets African markets, local producers may face increased competition but also opportunities for partnership and technology transfer.
The country’s strategic approach demonstrates that consistent quality, phytosanitary compliance, and cold-chain innovation can open doors to premium international markets.
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