The Agro-Export Boom

How Peru turned coastal deserts into farms for blueberries, avocados and asparagus using irrigation, becoming the world's largest blueberry exporter.

Peru built a booming agro-export sector.

Desert farming

Irrigation projects like Chavimochic turned coastal deserts into farms.

Crops

Blueberries: Peru became the world’s largest exporter.
Avocados, grapes and asparagus.

Advantages

Counter-season supply to the northern hemisphere.
Year-round sunshine.

Law

A special agrarian regime (2000) gave tax and labour benefits; protests led to its repeal in 2020, and a new law later restored some benefits.

Water

Farming in deserts strains water supplies.

The blueberry farm

A farm in La Libertad's desert grows blueberries shipped to US supermarkets in winter.

Thinking deserts can't produce exports

Irrigation made Peru's coast a farm hub.

Key takeaways

Irrigation turned deserts into farms.
Peru is the largest blueberry exporter.
Counter-season supply is an advantage.
Water use is a concern.