FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 09/01 - PERU (3 September)

PERU (3 September)

An earthquake of magnitude 7.9 on the Richter Scale hit southern Peru on 23 June 2001, affecting the departments of Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna and Ayacucho. The earthquake damaged the irrigation system of approximately 116 000 hectares of 60 000 farmers. Tidal waves also destroyed about 2000 hectares of coastal crops, including beans, maize, potatoes and other vegetables, and damaged the fishing equipment of 1000 small fisher folks. No important damage to the most important commercial crop cultivated in the area (paddy) is reported, as its harvest was almost finished by the time the quake occurred. For the country as a whole, paddy output is provisionally estimated to increase 10 percent from last year due to larger planting and an abundant water supply.

Import requirements in marketing year 2001/02 (July/June) are estimated at 1.3 million tonnes of wheat and 1 million tonnes of maize (mostly yellow).