Asunción, Agencia IP.- Paraguay marked a new milestone in its agricultural export diversification with the initial shipment of 22 tons of hot chili paste to the United States. The operation, led by Agronorte Ltda. Cooperative marks a historic step that positions the country in a highly competitive market.
The official shipment ceremony was attended by the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Marco Riquelme, the Vice Minister of Industry, Javier Viveros, and the President of Senave (National Service for Plant and Seed Health and Quality), Ramiro Samaniego.
This achievement is the result of a process that began in 2024, when the Vice Ministry of Export and Development (REDIEX) established contact with the Ecuadorian company UCHU Spice at the Seoul Food Fair.
As a result of this collaboration, UCHU’s visit to Paraguay was finalized, along with technical training for Agronorte producers and the launch of the country’s first chili pepper processing plant, inaugurated in September 2025 in Guayayví.
Rediex and SENAVE supported each stage, from seed imports to investment program advising and industrial registration.
Minister Riquelme stated that this reflects the Paraguayan government’s national vision: to industrialize raw materials from the fields.
«Today, the Department of San Pedro is a success story because it is cultivating chili peppers and processing this product. The paste is exported, but the chili peppers themselves are not. We are extending the product’s shelf life so that we can export it,» he indicated.
He added that President Santiago Peña is traveling the world in search of markets and assured that Paraguayans are ready to conquer them.
The launch of the alternative crops program, featuring presentations on Agronorte’s financial vision, the potential of hot peppers, and innovative projects such as professional nurseries, took place in Guayayví, San Pedro, with the participation of regional authorities and local producers.
Support for accessing new markets
«The first export of chili paste to the United States is a concrete example of how Paraguay can diversify its production base and open itself to new markets,» stated the Vice Minister of Industry, Javier Viveros.
«From the Government, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting cooperatives and producers on this path, coordinating public-private efforts so that more alternative crops become opportunities for development and employment for Paraguayan families,» he noted.
The General Manager of Agronorte, Rolando Chávez Genes, emphasized that this achievement represents a tremendous opportunity for producers in San Pedro. He indicated that chili peppers are becoming an alternative crop that can replace sesame, whose international price has fallen. «We are experiencing significant growth in exports and are accustomed to fulfilling contracts like this one,» he noted.
The agreement signed with UCHU Spice, an Ecuadorian company specializing in the sustainable production and processing of chili peppers with international certifications, anticipates reaching 1,000 tons in two years, with the possibility of expanding to 8,000 tons of chili pepper paste. UCHU works with small producers in Ecuador and Peru and maintains commercial ties with global hot sauce manufacturers, ensuring Paraguayan chili pepper paste is featured in well-known brands in the international market.
The day also included a technical visit to export plots of avocado, pitahaya, and banana, where export protocols to Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay were reviewed, as well as progress on the import of avocado seeds of Israeli origin.
San Pedro, an agro-exporting department
The department of San Pedro is the national leader in the production of sesame, pineapple, and bananas, and boasts a growing agro-food industry.
In 2024, its exports reached US$49 million, with 22 exporting companies and 57 products shipped to 48 destinations, including the United States, Germany, and Japan.
The addition of chili peppers as a new product strengthens agricultural job creation and positions Paraguay as a supplier of organic, high-quality products to demanding markets.
This shipment consolidates San Pedro as the epicenter of the country’s agro-export diversification, where traditional products such as sesame, bananas, and pineapples now have a strategic partner in chili peppers.
With this step, Paraguay demonstrates its capacity to innovate in agricultural production, generate employment, and conquer international markets with quality products.