PERU – January coffee exports up 64% on year

NEW YORK – Peru exported 215,717 60-kilo bags of coffee in January, up 64% from 131,369 bags shipped a year earlier, according to data from the nation’s customs agency Aduanas. As reported, Peru’s 2006 exports summed 3.87 million bags, which was sharply up from 2.415 million bags in 2005, and compared with 3.45 million bags in 2004.
Local consumption is seen around 230,000 bags in 2007, up a bit from 215,000 bags the previous year. Initial carryover stocks for 2007 are estimated at 308,000 bags, up from 178,000 a year earlier.
The 2007 crop is seen at 3.45 million bags, down from 4.21 million bags harvested in 2006.
2007 exports are seen at 3.22 million bags, down from 3.87 million last year, mainly due to the off-cycle nature of the crop.
Peru is the world’s largest exporter of organic coffee, with shipments at 345,000 60-kilo bags in 2006.
The country had 300,000 hectares planted at the end of 2006, up from 250,000 at the end of 2004, and up from near 150,000 in 1990.
With almost 36% bought, Germany was the main buyers of Peru’s coffees in 2006, followed by the United States (22%, Belgium (14%) and Holland (6%0. Colombia has also become an important buyer, with 2006 purchases estimated around 230,000 bags.
Peru aims to boost coffee production to 5.36 million bags over the next five years.
(CoffeeNetwork)