In the first half of this year, national lime production amounted to 106,246 tons, representing a reduction of 31% compared to the 154,022 tons reached in the same period of 2016.
This was indicated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (Minagri) who said that this lower production in the first six months of 2017 was due to the floods caused by the El Niño phenomenon in the northern part of the country.
He detailed that Piura was the region most affected due to climatic factors. However, in the departments of Lambayeque, Tumbes, Loreto and Ucayali there was an increase in the production of this fruit in the first half of the year.
Piura went from 86,420 tons during January-June 2016 to 35.85 tons in the same period of this year, Lambayeque went from 22,820 tons to 23,210 tons, Tumbes went from 18,860 tons to 20,910 tons, Loreto went from 6,390 tons to 6,510 tons, and Ucayali increased from 5,660 tonnes to 6,140 tonnes.
Production and price will normalize this month
Minagri hopes that this month lime production will recover as in previous campaigns, and the support that the portfolio is providing the producers of this fruit through the Program for Recovery of Fruit Trees in San Lorenzo, Chira and Alto Piura. It provides inputs (seeds, seedlings and fertilizers) and machinery service for the sum of S / 1,500 per hectare up to a maximum of 4 hectares to producers who were affected by the climatic event.
He added that the price of limes should fall in the coming weeks as there is no shortage to justify the increase of prices as recorded, since there is entry of this product to the Great Wholesale Market of Lima (GMML).
Data
In 2016, national lime production reached 270,308 tonnes, of which 54.8% came from Piura, 19.1% from Lambayeque, 11% from Tumbes, 4% from Loreto and 3.3% from Ucayali.
Source: agraria.pe