According to Juan Varilias, the president of the Association of Exporters (ADEX), the intensity of the rains in recent weeks could have an impact on the development of this year's agricultural season.
Varillas said that the changes in climate could cause a delay in the harvest and planting campaign for 2017 so they could be scheduled for next year.
"We can't do a thing in the fields while it's still raining. It's difficult to calculate these events and we must know how to manage this unavoidable situation. The Minister of Agriculture is working to support the sector," he said at the end of the presentation of the Andean Business Meeting 2017, whose sixth edition will be held in Armenia, Colombia.
The president of ADEX noted that there is a major concern regarding the sector's jobs that could also be impacted.
However, Juan Varilias estimated that Peruvian exports would increase in the first quarter by 10% over the same period of 2016. The boost in mining would trigger traditional exports abroad. In turn, the momentum of the Superfoods Peru brand for agricultural export products would improve non-traditional shipments abroad, whose performance ended 2016 slightly in negative territory.
Agricultural exporters executive board
The president of ADEX said they expected the first meeting of the agricultural exporters' executive board, which was passed to the Minister of Agriculture on 22 February, to take place in the first week of March. In this meeting, which brings together public and private stakeholders, the board will seek to solve the sector's outstanding problems in order to strengthen and consolidate the sector.
Source: elcomercio.pe