According to the manager of the Peruvian Association of Mango Producers and Exporters (APEM), Juan Carlos Rivera Ortega, the country could export more than 200,000 tons of mango in the 2020/2021 campaign, which will begin in November. This volume would be much lower than the record 234,000 tons exported in the previous season and cannot be completely explained by the alternation in production, which is not expected to be very strong. “There are other variables that can affect this projection, such as drought. The reservoirs are reaching historical minimum levels and there is a lack of rain on the Peruvian coast, especially on the north coast, that could affect all the crops on the coast, including mango,” he highlighted. The manager of APEM said that mango plants needed to be constantly watered at this stage of their growth so that the fruit reaches the calibers that the market requires. He also said that there was a La Niña phenomenon in development and that the rains were scarce. Therefore, managing the water correctly is very important, which is why they have asked the authorities to apply the regulations and give priority to permanent crops, including mango, banana, and grape crops. Rivera recalled that the San Lorenzo reservoir, which is currently at half its capacity, stores the water to irrigate all the crops installed in the San Lorenzo Valley (Piura), which is the main mango producing area. Certifications Regarding sanitary inspections and certifications, Rivera said that some countries, such as Japan and South Korea, have chosen to delegate certification to the National Agrarian Health Service (Senasa) while other countries, such as the United States, were going to send a delegation to inspect and certify the crops. "It is an important opportunity for Senasa to prove that we can handle the phytosanitary issue ourselves," he said. Not having to bring the inspectors of the phytosanitary entities of the destination countries would generate savings (an expense that is assumed by the private sector) and, most importantly, it would allow the country to export other types of fruits and expand markets, as the destination markets would have greater confidence in the country's phytosanitary system. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com