Peru’s farm sector grows 1.2% as pecan, blueberry and poultry output rises
Peru’s agricultural sector expanded 1.2% year on year in the first half of 2026, according to América Economía. Pecan production jumped 112%, blueberry output rose 23.7%, and higher chicken production supported a 2.0% increase in the livestock subsector.
Farm output remains in positive territory
Peru’s agricultural sector grew 1.2% year on year between January and June 2026, supported by pecans, blueberries and increased chicken production, América Economía reported. Crop production expanded 0.8%, while the livestock subsector recorded stronger growth of 2.0%.
The Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation, known as Midagri, said the expansion helped maintain food supplies in domestic markets. The first-half result nevertheless points to moderate aggregate growth, with the strongest increases concentrated in particular crops and producing regions rather than spread evenly across the sector.
Pecans lead crop growth
Pecan production rose 112% from a year earlier during the first six months of 2026, the largest increase among the crops identified in the report. Growth was concentrated primarily in Ica, Peru’s leading production area for the nut. Midagri highlighted the quality and size of Peruvian pecans, as well as their potential in both domestic and international markets.
June data showed an even sharper movement: pecan output in Ica was 177% higher than in the same month of 2025. Blueberries, quinoa, starchy maize and dry beans also posted year-on-year gains during June. These figures indicate rapid expansion in selected regional crops, although unusually high percentage increases can also reflect a comparatively low production base.
Blueberry supply base expands
Blueberry production increased 23.7% between January and June as more planted area entered production in La Libertad, Lambayeque and Ica. The expansion reinforces the crop’s role in Peru’s export-oriented agriculture and could provide a larger supply base for forthcoming marketing seasons.
Peru exported 373,514 tonnes of fresh blueberries in 2025, an increase of 14.6% from the previous year. The fruit accounted for 16.4% of the country’s total agricultural export value, with the United States, the Netherlands and China serving as its principal destinations. Midagri describes Peru as the world’s largest supplier of blueberries. Higher output, however, will not necessarily produce an equivalent increase in exports, which will also depend on demand, prices, logistics and phytosanitary conditions.
Sugar cane, rice and poultry contribute
Sugar cane production benefited from a larger harvested area, particularly in La Libertad, Lambayeque and Piura. Growth in paddy rice was likewise associated with expanded harvesting areas in Lambayeque, Tumbes and Piura. Oil palm and several maize varieties also contributed to the agricultural subsector’s advance.
Chicken production was the main driver of the livestock subsector’s 2.0% growth, giving animal production a faster expansion rate than crops and supporting domestic food availability. For comparison, the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics had reported agricultural-sector growth of 1.5% in the first quarter of 2026, comprising increases of 1.3% in crops and 1.8% in livestock. Those gains were linked to export and agro-industrial crops and to poultry, milk and pig production.
