Climate hits the northern agroindustrial sector

The country has been going through an economic recession and when it is most necessary to mitigate all this problem that has the various economic sectors in suspense, it is added that agriculture in La Libertad, which is one of the regions that generates the most foreign currency, has been affected in a large percentage in terms of its production of various fruits.

One of the gaps that will become larger is in unemployment, because nearly 100,000 direct jobs are in danger by 2024, after it became known that both climate change and the El Niño Costero phenomenon since February of this year have caused great havoc in the agroindustry in La Libertad, where the production of certain fruits has decreased by up to 50% of its production, including avocado, which has fallen by 20%.

“For plants and farmers, the El Niño phenomenon is the lack of flowering, lack of fruit set, this results in a decrease in harvests. The same thing that happened with the lemon will happen, there was no flowering and this was reflected in the shortages of this product, which generated high costs in its acquisition.

We also have another product like the avocado that has not been able to grow with the expected sizes and weight, at the national level there is a 20% decrease in
kilos and therefore sales volumes,” said Yuri Armas, representative of the Association for Agricultural Development (ADAS La Libertad).

According to the figures managed by ADAS La Libertad, other products that have been affected and have decreased production are: blueberries, which have a production of 50% less than in 2022, what is expected for mango is between 75 and 80% less production in the 2024 campaign versus the 2023 campaign, asparagus has 20% less production than last year and the reduction in sizes, in grapes 30% less, in crops that have to do with the family basket 38% less of rice harvest in La Libertad, 40% less in Piura and the jungle is also affected and that will bring
Consequently, the prices of the family basket will rise.

Unemployment

“We are concerned for the first time in the last 26 years, labor has exceeded the demand for labor, this year we will have in La Libertad 40,000 fewer people needed to work, in Lambayeque 20,000, in Piura 30,000, if we round up we will have 100,000 people who will not have jobs in these three regions,” Armas added.

These figures are only in direct jobs that are generated in the agribusiness, without taking into account that with all this problem, indirect jobs are also affected, because there will be less transportation of personnel, less clothing for personnel that ends up affecting the textile sector, as well as companies dedicated to the sale of food, trucks to transport merchandise, among other items.

Without a doubt, an uninspiring outlook is looming, which will end up widening the gap in poverty with all the people who will no longer receive a salary in favor of their families.