PERU (1 October)
At the end of July, a severe cold wave affected 15 departments in southern highlands of Peru. The Government declared a state of emergency in the departments of Arequipa, Cusco, Huancavelica, Moquegua and Puno. The adverse weather conditions essentially affected the livestock sector, while damage to food crops has been limited, because the harvest of the principal crops in this area, namely potatoes, white maize and rice, was completed by the end of June. International food assistance is being distributed in the affected areas.
The peak of the wheat crop harvest operations in 2004 has been reached and the output collected is below that of 2003 for the same period. The harvest should continue through October and total wheat production for 2004 is provisionally estimated at below-average 165 000 tonnes, mainly due to dry weather conditions at sowing that caused a reduction in area planted. Harvesting of the 2004 white maize crop has been completed, while the yellow maize crop harvest is well advanced in the departments of Cajamarca, Apurimac and Cusco. 2004 aggregate production is expected near last five year’s average volume of 1.3 million tonnes. Harvesting of the paddy crop in the northern main growing areas of La Libertad, Lambayeque and Piura has been completed. Due to insufficient rains at planting (January and February), 2004 paddy output is forecast at 2.0 million tonnes, with a reduction of about 6.5 percent compared to the record crop of the previous year. Rice imports requirements in marketing year 2004 are consequently expected to increase significantly from 35 000 to 200 000 tonnes. Import requirements in marketing year 2004/05 (July/June) are estimated at 1.4 million tonnes of wheat and 800 000 tonnes of maize (mostly yellow for the feed industry).