Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-ir) -- Thanks to a socioeconomic project being carried out in a northern province of Ayacucho, a region located in the south-central Andes, over 92,000 cuyes (guinea pigs) will be produced this year, said FONOCODES, a fund that fosters social development.

Furthermore, it was reported that a 40 percent increase had been registered in the production of this important Andean food source when compared to its production in 2007.

The guinea pigs are fed balanced diets and improved grass, which allows them to reach an average weight of 800 to 900 grams within two and a half months, thus, making them fit for sale in local and regional markets.

According to FONOCODES, demand and consumption for this Andean delight have increased considerably, therefore, increasing the rate of production.

660 families in Peru's highlands have already benefited from the project and the new, faster as well as more effective way of breeding and raising the animal.

Aside from FONOCODES, institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank and municipalities have contributed to the project.