Planting of potatoes and corn fell by up to 35,600 hectares

The agricultural campaign that began in August of last year, accumulated until January a little more than 1,270 million hectares of crops, that is, around 162,200 hectares (-11.3%) less than what was sown in the same period of the previous campaign at the national level.

Of the 24 regions, 19 still register negative data. In some cases, with losses of around 30,000 hectares. The greatest reduction is found in Cusco, where plantings have fallen -28.7% and went from more than 110,000 hectares in the previous campaign to 79,021 in the first month of this year. Cajamarca and Tumbes continue with falls of -24.6% and -24.3%. Then there are Puno (-18.6%), Lambayeque (-15.4%) and Junín (-14.4%).

In contrast, Ucayali and Ica are the regions that have expanded their cultivation areas the most with an expansion of 22.2% and 17.2%, reaching 24,702 and 18,337 hectares each. The next region with figures in green is Madre de Dios, which accumulated 11,847 hectares up to January and advanced 10.5%.

However, if only the data from January are taken into account, the cultivated area has recovered and advanced 4.4% in relation to the same month in 2022, mainly due to the recovery in the Huancavelica and Ucayali regions where the surfaces grew 291% and 106% year-on-year. In Ayacucho and Ica they increased by 87.3% and 82.6%.

In this same month, only 11 regions planted less than last year, Lambayeque and La Libertad being the ones that reduced their planted area the most with 4,656 and 3,850 fewer hectares.

Results by crops

The Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri) monitors 23 transitory crops; of these, 22 register negative figures in the accumulated to January. Thus, only cotton plantings register an advance of 9.7% compared to the same period of the previous campaign and reach 7,163 hectares.

Of the most important crops, potato is the one that has been planted the least with a reduction of around 35,600 hectares (-12.9%). This as a result of lower plantings in Cusco where 7,448 fewer hectares were planted, Puno (6,522 fewer hectares) and Apurímac (4,952 fewer hectares).

Next is starchy yellow corn, which lost more than 26,600 hectares (-13.8%), due to reductions in Cajamarca, Cusco and Piura.
Rice also had a significant reduction with 12,602 fewer hectares, dry grain beans (5,698 fewer hectares), corn corn (3,850 fewer hectares), etc.

In this distribution, if only the month of January is taken into account, it is observed that 13 crops increased their plantings. Among the most prominent are quinoa (177.1%), potato (43.8%), starchy yellow corn 37.6%, among others. On the other hand, among those that fell the most are rice with -12.3%, carrots (-23.9%), olluco (-20.5%), etc.

could be accentuated

The reduction in sowings is explained by last year’s fertilizer crisis, droughts and political instability, says Laureno del Castillo, executive director of Cepes.

According to the specialist, there is a risk that this will worsen as a result of the weather phenomena in recent weeks. Among the most affected crops would be rice, sugar cane and lemon. “This will affect domestic consumption and exports,” indicates.

He adds that the strongest impact on production would be felt in the current semester.

Data

Advance. Up to January, 86% of what was foreseen in the ENIS 2022 has been planted. It is estimated that around 1.47 million hectares will be achieved this season.

Difference. In January, about 16,000 fewer hectares were planted than projected in the ENIS 2022.