Paraguay, through Frutas del Paraguay SA, has sent its second batch of 130 tonnes of persimmon exports to the Spanish city of Valencia and expects to send another 170 tonnes by the end of the year. Frutas del Paraguay SA initiated the persimmon planting program back in 2012.
The company started its first investment in farmland in Santa Maria de Fe of Misiones Province, where it acquired 500,000 hectares of land. Persimmon fruit is an exotic favourite in Europe, where demand is high and prices range from 4 to 8 Euros per kilogram, depending on seasonality. With strong demand from the European market, Paraguay expects to send 300 tonnes of persimmons this year.
Pastor Soria, the National Plant Health and Seed Service (Senave), is currently collaborating with custom authorities in Brazil to reduce the transit time for container cargo of this fresh fruit. Steps have been taken to expedite transport to the port of Paranaguá, aiming to reduce the transit time from 40 to 45 days. Negotiations have already commenced with stakeholders and Brazil authorities to ensure smoother transit without interrupting the logistic chain.
In 2022, marking the ten years of investment, Vice Minister of Agriculture Jhordan Espínola mentioned during his visit to the persimmon farm in Santa Maria de Fe, that “the production of persimmons is very innovative for Paraguay because it is considered as a high demand exotic fruit and has good value in the European market, which will help us to position ourselves among the largest suppliers with this product.”
Mr. Espínola noted that Paraguay started early and has undergone a lengthy learning process regarding this new commodity in the country, which carry a high value in the European market. “This makes Paraguay an important world producer for this type of crop. Persimmons are very manageable, similar to other citrus fruits.”
He pointed out that managing the cultivation of this fruit is quite similar to that of citrus fruits, enabling producers to adapt quickly. Currently, over 40 people are employed in the industry, with wages close to US $500 or much higher than the average minimum wage. Investors have noted that electricity, water, fuel, and labour are much affordable here, making it attractive profits for foreign investment.
Frutas del Paraguay is the company in charge, supported by the Mayor of Santa María, Ramón Sanabria, who expresses his satisfaction with this investment in his town. After twelve years since the first planting in Paraguay, the company expects to reach its maximum persimmon production capacity in 2026 on its fully planted 500,000 hectares of land.
This effort is part of a broader strategy to boost Paraguay’s fruit sector, leveraging the country’s favourable climatic conditions to explore new markets and sectors. Currently, data regarding the number of hectares of land being utilized and the yield of persimmons per hectare are not available.
