While climate change hasn’t had an effect on many of the higher altitude banana growers in Peru, the torrential rains in other parts of the country have damaged many roads & flooded rivers, which can make transporting crops difficult.
El Niño Phenomenon Won’t Affect Organic Banana Crops – Peru
via Fenómeno El Niño no afectaría cultivos de banano orgánico en sierra del norte
(Translated via Google translate, some authors corrections.)
Sierra Exportadora stated that crops will not be affected by climate change, since it does not reach the Andes.
Plantations of organic bananas located in the mountains of the north have not been affected by the arrival of El Niño, compared to crops grown on the coast, where yes, there were harmful effects, said Sierra Exportadora program.
They said that nor are other crops suffering in the highlands. “Not equal to 1,000 meters above sea level 0 meters, because the source of anomalous heat (the Pacific Ocean) is closer. In the mountains there is no problem, because the impact of El Niño just the Andes “, scored in the program.
Likewise, he said that the main problem that may exist for Andean producers lies in the issue of road infrastructure, for because of the rains, the roads tend to crash, resulting in the transfer of the products to this area being paralyzed. (See The Impressive & Terrible Landslides in Chosica and Torrential Rains & Mudslides Continue to Plague Peru)
Moving crops
The program stated that organic bananas have as many hectares (about 7,000) in the Chira Valley (Sullana, Piura), where there is a tropical climate, so they began to promote the transfer of these products to higher altitudes two years ago.
Another factor that motivated this initiative is that soils are less contaminated, because the land is not very salty and has a better organic matter content. Moreover, as in the northern coast, there is no Sigatoka, one of the major diseases that attack the banana plant.
Thus, at present, the three associations that already produce organic bananas in the Sierra de Piura (Asprora, Asprosol and Asprobo-which grouped producers-total 1,200) are not affected by this natural phenomenon.
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Near Iquitos, Massive Road Damage
(Translated via Google translate, some authors corrections.)
via Pobladores improvisan puentes para transitar por vía a Nauta | Loreto | Peru | El Comercio Peru.
Locals Improvise Bridges in order to travel to Nauta
In Loreto, improvised bridges made of logs have been installed on stretches of road from Iquitos – Nauta where they have been lost due to heavy rains last April 2, reported Canal N.
Workers of the Regional Directorate of Transport continue to take steps to rehabilitate the passage through the route, but the people fear as rain continues and difficult work, which take approximately 15 days, as announced.
Remember that asphalt collapsed into three sections of the road, preventing the commercial and tourist traffic. Dozens of families remain isolated.
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The road to Nauta from Iquitos, (which is the largest city in the world without outside road access,) has been literally washed away in three places. This road is a shipping & tourist route, so this damage not only hurts goods commerce, but also the much needed tourist revenue.
It’s early to say what long term effect all these torrential rains will have on the many fruits & vegetables now being grown, but at least the organic bananas of the Sierra will not be affected. We send our best wishes to all those families affected by this years extreme weather.
©2015 Ben Gangloff
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