Agriculture & Fisheries

Increased domestic consumption, exports and investment have led to consistent growth in the agriculture sector for more than a decade. From 2003-12 growth averaged 4.14%, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation. However, a decline in production volumes of key crops, in particular coffee, saw growth slow to 2.2% in 2013. The development of industrial and export-oriented agriculture, concentrated on the Peruvian coast, is leading sector growth and diversification efforts. The government has supported growth in this segment with a number of large-scale irrigation infrastructure projects that are quickly expanding irrigated land. Meanwhile, the fishing industry is facing a second year of troubled waters as supplies of anchovies, the sector’s prime catch, have fallen to a record-low. In a climate of instability, the sector is increasing diversification efforts to reduce dependence on the delicate resource.

This chapter features an interview with José Chlimper, CEO, Agrokasa.