Time is running out and the Government seems not to care about the crisis in the agricultural sector. The Ministry of Agrarian Development (Midagri) recently made official yesterday the nullity of the second process for the acquisition of urea, a fertilizer for agricultural use, ten days after the announcement made in this regard by the minister of the sector, Andrés Alencastre.
In a statement, it was indicated that this occurs after the “adverse situations” warned by the Institutional Control Body, which “would not guarantee the purchase in the required quality conditions and the timely delivery to the beneficiaries”, within the framework of the agricultural campaign 2022-2023.
“In order to carry out a transparent process with a plurality of bidders, Midagri has contacted the Foreign Ministry to initiate, in a collaborative manner, the call for the largest number of companies that ensure the timely delivery of urea,” they asserted.
They also indicated that a copy of the proceedings -of the annulled process- will be sent “to the competent bodies for the adoption of the pertinent actions and the demarcation of responsibilities” in the face of the Comptroller’s observations.
On Friday, Peru21 revealed that Alencastre’s announcement – made on June 22 – had not yet been formally notified to MF Fertilizadores, the Brazilian company that won the tender to supply more than 73 thousand tons of urea to Peru.
AFFECTS PLANTING
“Certainly, this generates a detriment to the urgency for the fertilizers to arrive, but you cannot live with corruption; in that part, the agrarian movement agrees with it. What is worrying is that the fertilizer cannot be obtained in July or August,” Clímaco Cárdenas, president of the National Convention of Peruvian Agro-Conveagro, told Peru21.
Cárdenas said that it has already been estimated that, to date, there is a 14% impact due to less planting due to the shortage of fertilizers and that, the longer the purchase is delayed, that percentage will increase.
“With a new process, with the arrival of fertilizers from any point of origin, it will be unfeasible for them to arrive (on time). It will probably be September, October, ”he estimated.
