The Peruvian Association of Rice Producers (Apear) announced that its sector is evaluating raise their prices between 30% and 40%, due to the high cost of imported fertilizers.
According to Edwin Edquen, coordinator of Apear, the costs for rice production have risen between 30% and 50%, depending on the availability of labor and the need for fertilizers.
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He added that many producers are no longer generating profits because essential fertilizers, such as urea, have gone from S/ 62 to S/ 270 per bag.
“(It has risen) from S/ 6,000 per hectare to S/ 9,000, almost 50% including total costs, at least here in the jungle that is not completely mechanized”, he said on RPP.
He indicated that producers sold a kilo of paddy rice at between S/ 0.90 and S/ 1.12 to the mills, but assured that now the cost must be sold more than S/ 1.30 to obtain a minimum profit.
Likewise, Edquen stated that this situation is known to the Government of Pedro Castillo, but no action has been taken due to the constant changes of ministers.
According to data from the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri), the price of rice went from S/ 2.25 to S/ 2.40 in wholesalers, and from S/ 3.37 to S/ 4.15 in retailers.
