Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Peru: Avocado replaces coca

In the valley of the rivers Apurimac and Ene (VRAE), a Palta production product gains ground.

In Acobamba and Andamarca, Junin, some country people have set aside their coca crops and they are now opting for Hass and Forte avocados. In reward, the soil has rewarded them with high quality products that can weight by as much as two kilos each.

These avocados, located 2,400 to 2,600m above sea level, are produced organically due to the weather and the soil's benefits. Thus, Junin's regional government arranged the delivery of 100,000 plants in order to broaden the production and encourage the development in these remote places.

Poor farmers coming from 35 communities in the area flocked to the towns of Andamarca, Acomba, Milopata and Matichacra in order to receive the first lot of 5,617 trees for their fields. The project, with an investment of 1,182,000, aims to plant 100 acres of this fruit.

The plants are produced in a nursery located in an area of 5000 square meters donated by the District Municipality of Andamarca.

The plans:

The regional president of Junin, Vladimiro Huaroc, indicated that these areas will be reforested with 80 hectares of lucuma and cherimoya plants.

Huaroc added that the certification of the avocados produced in this area is being arranged through the respective managements so that they can be sold abroad.

Oscar Calixto Gavino, Regional Director of Agriculture, manifested that the project has the support of trade technicians who guide the producers in this area to obtain export-quality avocados.

The president of the Avocado Growers Association in Junin, René Sarapura said that 50 farmers will soon provide avocados for Andamarca mall Plaza Vea Huancayo. "We are currently producing up to half a ton of avocados per week in this area", she said.

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