Peru: irrigation catapults the productive muscle in fruit and vegetables

Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Juan Manuel Benites said that Peru will soon become a potential world in fruits and vegetables under the completion of irrigation projects, as the third stage of Chavimochic. “Peru is become one of the top ten suppliers of food in the world, where our country stand out as an international power in the production of fruits and vegetables,” he said during a working visit to the main centers of agricultural exports from this region North of the country.

The minister highlighted the role played by the Minagri through the National Service of Agrarian Health (Senasa) in gaining access to new products to international markets, allowing the country to close this year with a volume of agricultural exports to exceed 6,000 million dollars, which implies a growth rate of 3% of the agricultural sector for this year.

He said the completion of the dam Palo Redondo (province of Viru) that is part of Chavimochic III, scheduled for 2018, will allow the expansion of the agricultural frontier in 63,000 new hectares and improvement of 48,000 hectares devoted to crop production from exportation.

He said the special project of stage III Chavimochic benefit the Chicama Valley, considered the largest and most fertile of La Libertad. “It will also contribute to raising the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) National in more than 1,200 million dollars and generating 150,000 jobs in the agricultural sector.”

Third stage Chavimochic

Benites said the launch of the third stage of Chavimochic promote not only the extension of crop areas, but quality products are also obtained by incorporating modern techniques in the management of water resources, such as modern irrigation .

He also emphasized the strategic alliance between the public and private sectors in improving crops, the production of quality products, incorporating modern irrigation techniques and increased competitiveness of the field, among other actions to benefit the country.

For example, the holder of Minagri highlighted the support given by the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to strengthen the National Institute of Agrarian Innovation (INIA) and work with the producers of the field in innovation mechanisms in agriculture, in order to open and conquer new markets.

Agricultural Promotion Act

On the other hand, Benites was expressed in favor of maintaining the scope of the Agricultural Promotion Act, which has helped to turn Peru in recent years one of the leading suppliers food in the world.

For example, he noted that recently Peru has become the world’s leading exporter of maca and quinoa in the world, and the fifth world exporter of fresh grapes, second in the world in the production of cocoa and organic coffee, among others.

In this regard, he said that the realization of a public debate between the various political forces to discuss the possibility of extending the benefits of the Law of Agricultural Promotion, which is valid until 2021 and has created a situation of full employment is necessary Ica and La Libertad.

On the other hand, the Senasa reported that this year, Hass avocado exports from La Libertad will exceed 60,000 tons and already have certified only 8,000 hectares in that region. During the 2015 crop year 7,500 hectares of Hass were certified and more than 53,000 tonnes were exported.

Another export crops are blueberries that recorded 2,000 new hectares cultivated and distributed in the province of Viru and recently in Chepén. The volume exported last year reached 12,000 tons and by 2016 exports of blueberries reach the 20,000 tons.

Source: Andean Agency