USDA officials are eyeing Peru for opportunities around specialty crops

USDA’s Foreign Ag Service is back from a trade mission to Peru, looking to open more doors for U.S. farmers.

Ag leaders from Maryland were on hand and said they are excited for opportunities around specialty crops.

“With the GDP growing here, and the quickly increasing middle class, we do see an opportunity for value-added products and consumer-oriented goods. Maryland is historically a rye whiskey-producing state, and a couple of discussions that we’ve had here indicate that there is an opportunity for diversification in that market here,” said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks.

Montana ag leaders were also on the trip, and they have their eye on Peru’s use of lentils and the opportunities for pulse processing facilities in the country.

Related Stories
U.S. aquaculture may gain competitive ground as harmful subsidies are phased out abroad, but producers should monitor shifts in import supply chains and trade enforcement closely.
Producers may need to prepare for margin pressure in livestock feeding, while dairy farmers could benefit from stronger product demand.
Farmers await concrete trade commitments from China. Until then, export prospects for soybeans, corn, and sorghum remain uncertain against strong South American competition.
National Sorghum Producers CEO Tim Lust said farmers face a challenging year with strong supply, murky trade conditions, and uncertain access to their largest market: China.
U.S. trade talks with China resume, but meat industry leaders say dealing with shifting demand and market uncertainty is nothing new in this side of the ag sector.
Tariffs are pushing up input costs, with fertilizer prices rising $100 per ton and machinery costs climbing due to steel and parts duties.