Agricultural Trade Mission to Peru

Answering Demand for Natural, Sustainable, and Plant-Based Products with U.S. Hemp Exports

Team NIHC was taking action to open markets during the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Agricultural Trade Mission to Lima, Peru, where demand for natural, sustainable, and plant-based products is rising. With U.S. hemp exports to Peru growing by more than 1,100% from 2022 to 2023, the timing couldn’t be better to showcase the potential of U.S. industrial hemp in Latin America.

Our delegation—Trey Riddle of IND HEMP, Guy Carpenter of Bear Fiber, Inc. and Katheren Moreira Aristiguieta, our NIHC In-Market Representative for Latin America—contributed to strategic discussions on expanding U.S. hemp exports and building sustainable partnerships across the Americas. They reported strong interest in U.S. hemp oil, seeds, and hearts, with Peruvian buyers requesting samples and information on import pathways.

Highlights—The NIHC delegation:

• Joined fellow USDA cooperators for a valuable session with USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Administrator Daniel Whitley, Agricultural Counselor Anthony J. Gilbert Gilbert and Attaché Robert Tuebner to share updates on Peru’s upcoming hemp regulations, which will open new doors for U.S. exports in textiles, food, cosmetics, and animal feed, and of initial U.S. hemp fiber sales in Peru.
• Discussed joint promotion of hemp-cotton fiber innovation with Cotton USA-Latin America and explored partnerships to offer higher-value, sustainable textiles to manufacturers serving U.S. and European luxury brands. Aligned efforts to shift the region away from synthetics and toward natural fiber alternatives.
• Engaged with Chargé d’Affaires Joan Perkins, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Administrator Daniel Whitley, Peru’s Minister of Agriculture and others at a high-level networking reception with government and industry officials.
• Visited Corporativa Productiva, an importer of U.S. lentils and dry beans, where we discussed the region’s growing demand for organic and residue-free products, with U.S. pulses from Montana standing out for their clean profile.
• Attended one-on-one B2B meetings with companies like Vive Verde show strong interest in sustainable, health-conscious U.S. products.

A big thank you to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service for including us in this important trip and underscoring the importance of expanding U.S.-Peru ag trade partnerships. We’re energized by the opportunities ahead and proud to represent U.S. industrial hemp in this rapidly growing market.

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