Imported Peruvian grapes arriving at the Port of Philadelphia has skyrocketed since 2012, when 1,000 tons of the fruit entered Philly port facilities.
The season for Peruvian grape exports is October through March.
By 2016, that number totalled 30,000 tons compared to 52,000 in 2017 and has been 60,000 tons, and more, in 2018 and 2019.
Port figures reveal fresh and dried grapes account for around 28 percent of the Peruvian freight tonnage shipped to Philadelphia. The fruit is second only to Peruvian oil from petrol and bitum mineral.
Peru’s third-largest product into Philadelphia is fresh or dried dates, figs, pineapples and avocados. This accounts for about 15 percent of the volume. That volume has ranged between 8,000 and 12,000 tons per year since 2013.
Coming in third are onions, shallots garlic and leaks with volume ranging between 4,000 and 7,000 tons per year since 2015.
There was no volume coming into Philadelphia in 2012.
Citrus accounts for roughly 10 percent of Peru’s ocean freight volume into Philadelphia. Bananas and plantains are a much smaller percentage.
Other fresh produce received in Philadelphia from Peru includes blueberries, tangerines, pomegranates, lemons, artichokes, asparagus and peppers.