Peru: Quinoa, grape, avocado, cacao crops increase

By Hillary Ojeda

Peruvian crops including quinoa rapidly grew in surface area and production last year.

Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (Minagri) announced quinoa, grapes, avocado, and cacao crops in Peru grew considerably in surface area last year, according to Gestion.

The best performing crops were the olive and quinoa, concluding with increases of 163% and 65% respectively in surface area.

Minagri attributes the increase in output and surface area to the higher demand in the international market. The highest demand yet was recorded in the last two years, from 2012 to 2014.

Following olives and quinoa, is the grape vine finishing with an increase of 15.3% in surface area from 25,617 hectares in 2012 to 29,526 in 2014. Finally came avocados and cacao.

As these products experienced greater surface area, increased growth followed suit. According to Minagri results, olives led the group in 2014 reaching 152,000 tons, coming to an increase of 163% in production compared to 2013.

Although other crops and agricultural products were not as lucky as these with weather changes, climate conditions in southern Peru were favorable for the olive. Production of the olive increased in Tacna and Arequipa, 144% and 597% respectively.

As for poultry and dairy, slight increases were recorded.

Production of poultry increased 4.9% mostly due to Lima, La Libertad, Ica, Arequipa, Ancash, and San Martin regions. As for dairy, the industry grew 1.9% due to increasing the amount of milking cows and livestock mostly from Arequipa, Lima, La Libertad, Cajamarca, and Puno.

Originally posted at: http://www.peruthisweek.com/news-surface-area-covered-by-crops-increases-in-peru-105304

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