After 10 years of the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries, agri-food exports to Singapore have grown by 23%.
Peru is one of the Latin American countries with the biggest international reach. The country’s food exports account for its second biggest generator of foreign currency and in the last few years trade with Asia in the fruit and vegetable sector has increased considerably. Meanwhile, the Free Trade Agreement between the governments of Singapore and Peru, which has now been in force for over a decade, has even further boosted international trade, which is showing average annual growth of 23% over this period in the agrifood sector.
During this period, Singapore has authorized the import of new fresh produce, offering a great growth opportunity in this niche market for Peruvian products. During the first six months of 2020, fresh cranberries, pomegranates and asparagus were the leading Peruvian exports to Singapore. Other Peruvian products imported during the same period include quinoa, chia seeds, chestnuts, artichokes, and jalapeño peppers.
Singapore accounts for almost one percent of Peruvian exports to Asia. In 2019, imports of fresh Peruvian produce reached a value of 4,931 million dollars, a modest sum that the Peruvian trade office, based in Hong Kong and representing the whole of South-East Asia, is determined to increase. With this goal in mind, the PROMPERÚ trade office has launched a promotional campaign this year in Singapore entitled ‘Super Foods Peru’.
“We are currently collaborating with two retailers in Singapore, Nature’s Superfoods and Zenxin Organic Food, with the aim of promoting and raising consumers’ awareness of the benefits of eating Peruvian superfoods such as quinoa, chia seeds, cocoa beans and powdered ginger, among others. The strategy is to work with each retailer to launch an ‘immunity package’ which includes a range of superfoods that promote the variety of healthy food products from Peru. We are also developing campaigns that focus on healthy snacks and beverages, as well as their future promotion in restaurants,” explained the Trade Commissioner for PROMPERÚ in SouthEast Asia, Erick Aponte.
In addition, PROMPERÚ has embarked on a special campaign to promote pisco, a beverage whose imports by Singapore have shown average annual growth of 15.1% in the last few years. The campaign, entitled ‘Pisco Nights’, showcases the versatility of pisco in the cocktail world and its popularity with drinkers, and will run throughout December in the top bars in Singapore thanks to a collaboration agreement with the Singapore Cocktail Festival 2020. Since 2019, Peru’s flagship beverage has been promoted internationally through the commercial brand of “Pisco, Spirit of Peru”.
