The manager of Autodema, Ulises Aguilar, said that the Majes Siguas II concessionaire, Cobra, has expressed its intention to continue with the works of the irrigation project. He maintained that last week they met with representatives of the Spanish company.
Currently, Cobra and the Regional Government of Arequipa (grantor of the project) are in a direct deal to resolve controversies, so as not to reach arbitration. Both parties allege non-compliance. According to the foreign firm, this caused damage of 180 million dollars.
Until April 12, the Regional Government of Arequipa will have to fulfill its commitments in the project. Aguilar remarked that they will be able to honor the provision of land in the upper areas of Caylloma. However, the same will not happen with properties in the Siguas valley (access to the Lluta intake). That will be one of the points that they will have to negotiate with Cobra.
Aguilar considers that on the last item, there should be no objections from Cobra, since the immediate works that must be carried out are not in the valley area, but in the upper part.
The official reported that in the meeting last week with Cobra, they expressed their intention. However, in recent days the regional governor of Arequipa, Rohel Sánchez, has also criticized the concessionaire for having a double discourse and little willingness to resume project works.
agricultural campaign
On the other hand, Aguilar reported that the season’s rains were irregular, to the point that the Condoroma dam (which irrigates the Majes I project) only has 50% water stored. The Autodema manager argued that said amount is insufficient to guarantee the 2023 campaign.
He declared that if the volume does not improve until the end of the season (estimated in the fortnight of April), the water quotas will have to be rescheduled, with which fewer land areas would be irrigated in Majes I. This would imply a lower production.
The latest report from Autodema indicates that the Condoroma reservoir has a water volume of 128 cubic hectometres (hm3), out of a total capacity of 259 hm3.
Source: Larepublica
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