Peru’s 2025 fresh green asparagus season is drawing to a close. “We have succeeded in managing the supply for most of the year, aligning our production to the seasonality of our main target markets,” says Cristina Albuquerque, commercial director for Danper’s fresh and frozen categories.

“This season, with our three categories combined, we are expecting to export around 10,000 tons of asparagus, 80% of which corresponds to fresh produce and the other 20% to canned and frozen,” says Albuquerque. The UC157 remains the predominant variety in the company’s fields, but looking ahead, there’s also ongoing research into the behavior of new varieties.

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There has been a gradual recovery after recent climatic phenomena, such as El Niño and Yaku. “After these phenomena, we have been working already in the years 2023-2024, and the company has been making a considerable effort at both an agricultural and quality technical level to be able to recover the plantations,” says the director. Although yields have not yet reached previous levels, agronomic management and technological innovation have enabled significant progress to be made.

“We are mainly shipping to Europe and the United States,” says Albuquerque, who also highlights the growing presence in markets such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, and France. The main competitor is Mexico and, to a lesser extent, the seasonal European productions. “When there is production from Mexico, we focus on giving due maintenance to our fields and packing facilities, as well as making sure to meet our commitments in canning and freezing,” she says.

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Green asparagus is highly perishable, which means that air shipments are essential if you want certain calibers to reach the markets with the right quality. However, dependence on air freight means higher costs and logistical challenges. “Asparagus is still a product that is heavily dependent on air shipments because it is quite perishable,” says Albuquerque. Still, Danper has remained committed to the use of sea freight to Europe and the UK, thus contributing to reducing the carbon footprint and improving the sustainability of the logistics chain.

There’s a clear downward trend in supply in the global asparagus market, while demand remains strong, especially in segments that value nutritious food products managed under systems that ensure fair treatment and sustainability. “Looking at the volumes of the main producers, such as Peru or Mexico, asparagus supply has been increasingly limited in recent years. Prices have fallen by 10% compared to the previous season, influenced by the pressure of logistical costs and competition from other crops,” says the commercial director.

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In the fields, Danper has opted for the implementation of advanced technologies to optimize production and be ready to face the challenges of climate change. “We are focused on digital transformation in the framework of our agricultural and industrial operations, so we have developed precision agriculture tools that allow us to be more efficient and resilient,” says Albuquerque. These technologies facilitate data-driven decision-making, improving irrigation management, pest control, and crop management.

“We are the only agribusiness company in Latin America with the Zero Waste standard awarded by SGS Spain, in addition to certifications such as GLOBALG.A.P., LEAF, SPRING, ISO 14001, and ISO 14064-1, among others. We have also been awarded the Carbon Footprint Peru seal by the Ministry of the Environment for our significant efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” she says.

For more information:
Cristina Albuquerque
Danper
Peru
Tel.: +51 949 711 340
[email protected]
https://danper.com/