The 2023 season of Peruvian avocados could be at risk
Fresh Avocado
Fruits
Peru
Published Jan 13, 2023
Tridge summary
According to the World Bank, Peru will be one of the countries most affected by the increase in temperatures, with an expected average increase in temperature in the dry season of between 1.0 °C and 4.0 °C by 2050, which seriously increases the risk of water scarcity and deterioration of its quality. The 2022 season registered modest volumes overall and lower prices compared to the 2021 season after week 31. Referring to the 2023 avocado campaign, Prohass president Juan Carlos Paredes stated that the lack of water in regions without dams or water reservoirs, which represent around 30% of Peru's export volume, could affect the size of the fruit and therefore restrict the supply in the following year. "There is a risk that if the fruit does not get enough water, it may be too small. I could not tell you what the dimension or size of the problem is, but there is that risk, especially in the Andean areas," he said.
Original content
The rapid development of Ica's agro-export sector has led to the depletion of groundwater reserves and restricted access to water for local residents. Ica's agro-export companies depend on groundwater for irrigation, and according to some estimates, agriculture uses more than 90% of the groundwater extracted annually. During the boom in agricultural exports of the last few decades, the increase in demand for groundwater pushed the water balance of the Ica basin to an unsustainable level, as more water is withdrawn than replenished. The National Water Authority (ANA) of Peru, responsible for the conservation of water resources, has registered a drop in the level of the water table in Ica, in some places of up to 1.5 m per year. A study has investigated how avocado growing conditions will evolve between now and 2050. According to projections, Peru could lose between 55% and 70% of its arable land, as climates that are too wet or too dry become incompatible with crop growth. The ...
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