Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Organic crops generate 33,000 jobs in Peru

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's Agriculture Minister, Adolfo de Cordova, reported that the farming of organic crops is currently generating at least 33,000 jobs for farmers nationwide, in a total area of 273,000 certified hectares.

The interest in organic crops has been increasing during the last few years, because farmers have come to realize that these techniques are more profitable than the traditional ones.

According to De Cordova, Peru’s Ministry of Agriculture (Minag) provides 9,800 producers with technical assistance in land matters in order to improve commercial supply of organic products, which required an investment of five million soles in  the projects.

He also noted that Peru is currently the 7th nation in the world that is implementing systems for organic farming, which generates almost US $ 194 million dollars.

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Peru: Soy production to be boosted in Tumbes

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Authorities in the northern Peruvian region of Tumbes and San Fernando S.A. company launched a pilot project intended to boost local soy production, said Rafael Suncion, Regional Manager of Economic Development.

Over 50 hectares of soy will be planted in the valleys of Contralmirante Villar, Zarumilla and Tumbes, with the aim of producing between 125 and 150 tons.

“We want to promote soy cultivation, which has been reduced due to higher production costs and lower market prices,” he added.

San Fernando will provide farmers with improved seeds, while the Puyango-Tumbes Binational Special Project and Banco Agrario (Agricultural Bank) will grant loans to cover land, work force, pesticide and other production costs.

The sowing season starts in May, and if they have positive results they will continue with the project, Suncion said.

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Peru’s citrus exports to reach US$32 million

LivingInPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's citrus fruit exports may reach US$ 32 million this year, a 20 % decrease compared to 2008's US$ 40 million, the Association of Peru's Citrus Fruit Producers (Procitrus) reported.

Sergio del Castillo, General Manager, remembered that last year they exported 64,000 metric tons, and he said they expect over 51,000 tons for 2009.

Del Castillo added that the main destination market for these products was the United Kingdom (Satsuma tangerine), followed by Holland (Satsuma tangerine and tangelos), the United States (tangelos) and Canada (Satsuma tangerine and tangelos).

These countries represented 85% of total citrus fruit shipments.

Sergio Del Castillo said private and public sector, through Peru's National Service of Agrarian Health (Senasa), will seek to overcome phytosanitary barriers to enter new overseas markets such as Mexico, Japan, South Korea and Chile.
 
Chile has removed phytosanitary barriers for Peruvian lemons, but keeps restrictions on tangerines and oranges.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Peru’s agro exports to grow 3% this year

Andina

Peruvian agro exports would grow up to 3% this year despite the global crisis affecting international markets, reported Peru’s minister of Agriculture, Carlos Leyton.

"Exports would be driven by higher shipments of vegetables, mainly grapes and avocados" he said, after attending the10th Lunch of Agro Exporters 2009, organized by The Peruvian Exporters' Association (Adex) and Interbank.

Agribusiness Department of Peru’s Ministry of Agriculture (Minag) said that in January and February ( 2009) agro exports totaled 342 million dollars, a 15.3 % percent drop compared to the same period last year.

However, this volume is higher compared with the same period in the previous eight years.

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Peru to increase export-oriented Hass avocado production

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Amid Simmering Legalization Debate, Peru Begins Export of Beer Made With Coca Leaves

eco worldly
Levi Novey

A Peruvian company that makes beer from coca leaves now has plans to export its product to countries like China, Venezuela, and South Africa.

The company making the beer is a supporter of the National Confederation of Coca Farmers, a group that advocates for more organized production of coca plants. The beer is named Apu, and is already sold in southeastern cities of Peru like Cusco, the well-known gateway city to legendary Machu Picchu.

But wait… don’t draw any conclusions yet. According to the source of this information, the online news source Living in Peru, spokespeople for the group say “The goal is to demonstrate that coca leaves are not cocaine…the plant should be industrialized to avoid the production of cocaine.”

Coca Plant Widely Used, Has Significant Cultural Value in Andean Countries of South America

What is unknown to many people around the world is that coca leaves are considered a culturally important plant to people in the Andean mountain regions of South America. While best known as being the derivative for the drug cocaine, the leaves also have a variety of other less harmful uses. For instance, many people in the Andes Mountains chew the leaves as an energy booster or to reduce hunger, thirst, or pain. It is also popularly consumed in tea form, and can help travelers to overcome altitude sickness.

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Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Peru beer made from coca leaf to be exported to China

Living in Peru
Israel Ruiz

Peruvian coca farmers presented a series of products made with coca leaves this week at a fair. Among them was beer made with coca leaves, which is to be exported to China and South Africa.

The goal is to demonstrate that coca leaves are not cocaine, said spokespeople for the National Confederation of Coca Farmers, stating the plant should be industrialized to avoid the production of cocaine.

Apu, the new beer, is sold in south eastern Andean cities such as Cusco, said Ahmed Alarcon, the general manager of the company that produces the coca beer.

It is especially enjoyed by tourists that visit Machu Picchu, said Alarcon.

He explained the company was currently working on the paperwork to export the beer to China, South Africa, Argentina and Venezuela.

The production plant, which is located in the city of Andahuaylas, can produce up to 180,000 bottles per month.

"Thankfully China is a country where coca leaves are accepted and its derivatives can easily enter the country," said Alarcon, explaining the United States made exportation more difficult.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Peru farmers push alternative coca products

Associated Press

Farmers in Peru are extolling the virtues of beer, wine and candies made with coca in an attempt to erase the stigma attached to the Andean leaf used to make cocaine.

Dozens of vendors, growers and buyers gathered Wednesday for a fair promoting the coca leaf — which is traditionally chewed or consumed in tea in the Andes — and products made from it.

"Many people in Lima think the coca leaf is a drug. That's what they've tried to make us believe," said former congresswoman and coca farmer Elsa Malpartida. "But now we are showing them its bounty. We are giving free coca to the people and saying it is not bad in its natural state."

The leaf was chewed by nobles in Peru's Inca empire and is considered sacred in Andean lore.

Farmers also backed calls by Bolivian President Evo Morales, a former coca grower himself, to remove the plant from the United Nations' list of prohibited drugs.

"I'd like to reiterate this humble, sincere request that a historical error be rectified, while also reiterating my commitment to a frontal assault on cocaine and drug trafficking," Morales said Wednesday at a U.N. narcotics conference in Vienna.

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Peru successful at fruit and vegetable fair in Germany

Living in Peru
Israel Ruiz

Avocados, table grapes, mangoes, asparagus, citric fruits, paprika, artichokes and garlic were just some of the Peruvian products highly demanded by international buyers that assisted Germany's most important fruit and vegetable fair, Fruit Logistica.

Thanks to PromPeru, the Andean country's exportation promotion agency, six companies and five agro exportation unions took part in the event and signed over four hundred contracts to be worth approximately $29 million in the next twelve months.

Aside from being assisted by PromPeru, these companies and unions also had the support of the Chamber of Commerce and the Peruvian - German Industry, which officially represent German fairs in the Andean country.

Once the event finished, it was reported that 100 percent of Peruvian companies affirmed they had met their objectives. 80 percent said they had done 'good' while 20 percent said they had done an 'excellent' job.

Furthermore, it was reported that those who attended enjoyed Peruvian snacks along with cocktails such as Pisco Sour. 2,288 representatives from 80 countries assisted the event.

These companies were host to 50,000 buyers from 125 countries.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Israeli Netafim to supply irrigation system to Peru for $22 million

Ynet News
Navit Zomer

Israeli water solutions company Netafim signs deal with Peruvian company Maple Energy to supply services for large-scale sugar cane project in order to create ethanol as alternative energy source. Netafim said to be in negotiations for additional deals of this sort

Israeli company Netafim, which provides innovative water solutions to clients, won the tender to supply irrigation solutions to a large-scale sugar cane growing project in Peru. The sugar cane grown will be used to create ethanol as an alternative energy source.

Netafim, jointly owned by Kibbutz Hatzerim, Kibbutz Yiftach, Kibbutz Magal, Markstone Capital Group, and Tene Capital, signed the deal valued at $22 million, good news in light of the economic crisis, which has affected agricultural companies, mainly because of dried up credit sources for financing large-scale agricultural projects. Netafim themselves recently laid off more than 200 employees following a decrease in orders.

The deal, signed with Peruvian company Maple Energy, stipulates that Netafim will provide engineering, planning, procurement, and building services, while also being the exclusive supplier of irrigation equipment for the sugar cane project. Maple Energy produces energy for industrial clients from oil, gas, and ethanol and is headed by CEO Rex Canon.

The project will be spread over some 20,000 acres in southern Peru, which will be used to grow sugar cane used to produce ethanol and electricity. Infrastructure building is scheduled to be finished in 2010.

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