Peruvian export association Adex has called on the next government to promote non-traditional exports as a way to generate employment, state news agency Andina reported.
“What we hope from the next government is a frank policy to attract investors and a legislation that encourages and promotes exports, above all the non-traditional,” Adex President Juan Manuel Varilias said.
Traditional exports include mining, agricultural and hydrocarbon products as well as fishmeal. Non-traditional exports include mainly textiles, fish, paper, steel, jewelry and non-metallic mining products.
“The statistics show us that for every $1 million exported in traditional products it generates between four and five jobs,” said Varilias. “And for every $1 million in non-traditional export products, the index increases to 70 jobs.”
Most of the employment in Peru is in small and medium sized companies, which make up about 90 percent of all businesses. A large part of these firms are involved in exporting, Varilias said.
“The attention should be directed at these areas, which absorb more than 70 percent of the jobs of the economically active population,” he added.
In 2010, Peruvian exports rose 31.1 percent to a record US$35.4 billion. During the first two months of this year, Peru’s main market for exports was China, which overtook the United States as a result of the Asian country’s demand for raw materials.
