Key takeaways
- Camu-camu is one of the most vitamin C dense fruits known, with fresh pulp commonly measured at roughly 1,900 to 2,300 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, far above oranges, which is exactly why grade and stabilization choices matter so much.
- Demand is concentrated: the United States took 37.3% and Guatemala 14.1% of Jan-Nov 2024 shipments, with the remaining 26 markets splitting the rest, so a buyer's destination shapes which Peruvian exporters already have a proven lane.
- Supply is still largely wild-collected by canoe during the Amazon flood season, with domestication at an early stage and no shared standard, which is why two lots labeled the same can differ in vitamin C and quality.
The label says camu-camu. The lot is what you actually buy.
Camu-camu is one of the most concentrated natural sources of vitamin C on the planet, with fresh pulp commonly measured at roughly 1,900 to 2,300 mg per 100 g, and that single fact is what pulls buyers in supplements, functional beverages and natural extracts toward Peru. The problem is that the headline nutrient is also the thing that varies most from lot to lot. Vitamin C degrades with heat, time and handling, so the spec you pay for and the spec you receive can diverge depending on how, when and by whom the fruit was picked and processed.
Most of Peru's camu-camu is still gathered from wild and semi-wild stands along Amazon rivers, harvested by canoe when the water is high, then aggregated through smallholders and intermediaries before it ever reaches a dryer or mill. Domestication is at an early stage and there is no shared origin standard, which means ripeness, fruit selection and post-harvest timing are uneven across the chain. For a buyer reading a one-page certificate of analysis, none of that upstream reality is visible.
The result is a classic vetting trap. A clean sample and a confident quote tell you almost nothing about whether the same vitamin C level, the same presentation and the same volume will repeat next season. The decision that actually protects a buyer is not Peru versus another origin. It is which Peruvian supplier can demonstrate consistent grade, stabilization practice and supply continuity.
Two exporters move more than a third of Peru's camu-camu
Top two shippers = 37.5% of volume
A long tail of smaller exporters splits the rest
Source: Peru Sourcing Partners analysis
Peru is the anchor origin, but the supply is concentrated and seasonal
Peru exported about 143 metric tons of camu-camu across all presentations between January and November 2024, reaching 28 international markets, a figure confirmed by two independent reports. The volume is small by agro-export standards, which is precisely why it rewards careful supplier selection rather than open-market buying. The fruit moves mainly as powder, juice and frozen pulp, and the presentation mix shifts with demand, so matching your form to a supplier that actually runs that line matters.
Demand is concentrated. In Jan-Nov 2024 the United States took 37.3% of shipments and Guatemala 14.1%, with 26 other markets dividing the remainder. Supply is concentrated too: the two largest exporters together accounted for roughly 37.5% of Jan-Nov 2024 volume, the leading exporter alone holding about 23.1%, while a long tail of smaller shippers handled the rest. That shape means a handful of credible names can serve a serious buyer, but the rest of the field is uneven and needs filtering.
Seasonality is structural, not cosmetic. Camu-camu fruits ripen through the Amazon high-water months, with the bulk of fresh harvest concentrated around the early part of the year, and wild stands are picked from boats while the riverbanks are flooded. Production sits in Loreto and Ucayali. A buyer who plans volume against that calendar, and against a supplier who can carry stabilized inventory between harvests, avoids the stockouts that catch newcomers off guard.
US and Guatemala absorbed over half of 2024 shipments
28 destination markets in total
Concentration means a buyer's lane is supplier-specific
Source: Peru Sourcing Partners analysis
Pick the supplier, not just the origin
Because camu-camu supply is fragmented, wild-leaning and unstandardized, the spread between a strong Peruvian supplier and a weak one is wide. The strong ones can show a documented vitamin C grade, a stabilization and drying practice that protects that grade, organic or other certifications where you need them, and a track record on your target presentation and destination. The weak ones can show a sample. Telling them apart from abroad, by email and quote, is the part most buyers underestimate.
That is the work worth doing before a first order: confirming which exporters genuinely control their grade, who already ships your form and your market, and who can hold continuity across the seasonal gap. A vetted shortlist, built from real export activity and on-the-ground verification rather than directory listings, turns a fragmented origin into a short, qualified set of names you can actually negotiate with.
If you are sourcing camu-camu from Peru, the highest-leverage next step is not another supplier search. It is asking for a vetted shortlist matched to your presentation, certification needs and destination, so you start the conversation with growers who have already cleared the checks that protect your spec and your timeline.
Get a vetted camu-camu shortlist matched to your spec
Tell us your presentation, certification needs and destination, and we will return a shortlist of Peruvian camu-camu suppliers we have checked on the ground for grade consistency, stabilization practice and supply continuity. You start the conversation with growers who have already cleared the vetting, not a directory of names.
Request an introductionCommon questions
How much camu-camu does Peru actually export, and where does it go?
Peru shipped about 143 metric tons of camu-camu across all presentations between January and November 2024, reaching 28 international markets. The United States led with 37.3% of shipments and Guatemala followed with 14.1%, while 26 other markets divided the rest. It is a small, concentrated trade, which is why supplier selection matters more here than in high-volume commodities.
Why does camu-camu quality vary so much between suppliers?
Most Peruvian camu-camu is still wild-collected or grown on smallholder plots, harvested by canoe during the Amazon flood season, then aggregated before processing. Domestication is early-stage and there is no shared origin standard, so ripeness, fruit selection and post-harvest timing differ across the chain. Since vitamin C degrades with heat and time, two lots with the same label can carry different real grades. Verifying a supplier's stabilization and grade control is the core of sourcing it well.
When is camu-camu in season, and how should that shape my orders?
Camu-camu ripens through the Amazon high-water months, with fresh harvest concentrated around the early part of the year and wild stands picked from boats while riverbanks are flooded. Production centers on Loreto and Ucayali. Buyers who plan volume against that calendar, and who work with a supplier able to hold stabilized inventory between harvests, avoid the seasonal stockouts that catch first-time importers.
About the data: Figures drawn from public Peruvian trade and sector reporting for 2023-2024, with headline volume and market figures cross-checked against two independent sources. Figures reflect Peru export data curated and classified by Peru Sourcing Partners.
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