Peru: Association of Rice Producers proposes contingency plan

To palliate the effect of drought, the Ministry of Agriculture of Peru, (Minag), has proposed an increase of rice price until a 15% in case the cereal is imported.

According to the Association of Rice Producers, the cultivators of Peru could solve the domestic demand if a program of sowings non programmed is applied.

If precipitations do not appear within the next days, would have to be implanted the contingency plan seeding precocious rice which has the particularity to developed in four months.

The program would be carried out in the most important areas of rice farming of the country. This plan of contingency already was developed successfully during the drought of three years ago. The rice consumption per capita in Peru reaches 54 kilos per year. Monthly the demand is of 130,000 MT.

Half of the national production is cultivated in Lambayeque and Piura, and the rest between the forest and in the south.