Worrying drop in employment in Peruvian export sectors

The Research Center for Global Economics and Business of the Exporters Association CIEN-ADEX has revealed concerning data regarding the generation of jobs linked to exports in the month of April 2024. According to the report 'Impact of Exports: Employment and GDP', a 12% decrease was recorded compared to the same period of the previous year, dropping from 260,246 jobs to 228,979. Among the 14 sectors analyzed, 8 experienced declines in job creation. The most affected sectors include primary fishing with a staggering -63.5%, followed by fishing and aquaculture with -55.6%, and non-metallic mining with -30.8%. These figures reflect the fragility of certain key sectors of the Peruvian economy that depend on exports. In contrast, some sectors managed to remain stable or even show growth in job creation, such as traditional agriculture with a 22.3% increase, and non-traditional sectors like textiles and metalworking, which experienced increases of 28.8% and 18.8% respectively. These data demonstrate the diversification of the Peruvian economy and the importance of investing in sectors with growth potential. Regarding regional distribution, it is observed that the Coast and the Andean region were the most affected, with reductions of 19.7% and 18% respectively in jobs linked to exports. On the other hand, the Amazon and Lima and Callao regions had a more positive performance, with growth of 37.7% and 1.7% respectively. In a more detailed analysis by regions, a worrying decline is highlighted in places like Apurímac with a fall of 67.2%, followed by Lambayeque and Amazonas with negative rates of 47.1% and 46.4% respectively. However, regions like Huánuco, Loreto, and Puno stand out for their growth in job creation associated with exports, with increases of 132.8%, 113.4%, and 97.9% respectively. Internationally, Asia stands out as the main driver of jobs generated by Peruvian exports, despite experiencing a 19% decline in April 2024. North America, Europe, and Latin America also played an important role in job creation, although with negative variations in their figures. In the accumulated data for the first four months of the year, a 1.5% setback is evident in job creation linked to exports, with sectors such as traditional fishing, hydrocarbons, and garments showing significant decreases. On the other hand, sectors like mining, primary agriculture, and agribusiness have managed to maintain a higher number of jobs. These data reflect the need to implement measures to strengthen the most vulnerable sectors and promote sustainable growth of the Peruvian economy. It is essential to diversify exports and invest in sectors with growth potential to generate employment and boost the country's economic development.