Helios Spotted Peruvian Asparagus Disruption Months Before Prices Went Up

At a glance: Helios spotted a disruption in the Peruvian asparagus supply and enabled its users to take action three months before media outlets reported on the issue. Helios continued to alert users of the problem before it led to a 20% decrease in supply and a 42% increase in prices.

What happened?

Maijan, Peru, faced serious disruptions in its asparagus supply over the summer of 2024 due to drought brought on by El Niño circumstances. This lack of water caused the crop to wilt, turn yellow, and lose vigor. It also led to a 20% decrease in total supply for the 2024 crop, and in turn, a massive jump in the price of asparagus. In June 2024, pricing was $18.2 per kilogram, a whopping 42% increase from $7.5/kg in December 2023.

How Helios Helped

As you can see from the precipitation graph below, the moisture levels in Poche, Peru, began to deviate from the historical average in early November 2023. Helios platform users were informed about the disruption immediately, three months before the media began to report it online. This early insight allowed users to determine whether changes to their orders needed to be made or if new suppliers needed to be found. It also gave them a chance to renegotiate contracts for the 2024 season and lock in prices before they were destined to rise. As Helios predicted, the drought-like conditions continued throughout the year, leading to shortages in grocery stores and a huge price increase for asparagus by the summer of 2024. Fortunately, our customers were well-equipped to handle the situation.