Considerations for the conditioning of blueberries in Peru

01/03/2016

The agronomist Carlos Vial Yévenes, who has more than 22 years of experience in the cultivation of blueberries, said for the Agrarian Agency News that Peru has a very good market niche for the cultivation of this fruit and that to develop it is important consider an initial contribution between US $ 40 thousand US $ 50 thousand (25 thousand tons per hectare).

According to Vial, one of the advantages of Peru for growing the plant is that most of its production coincides at a time when there is no blueberry production in the world (from September to November).

ANALYSIS OF ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY

The specialist points out that the profitability of the project would be around 143 TIR (Internal Return Cup) and a NPV (Net Present Value) of 5.5 million dollars, figures that according to the agronomist would be so high that the project would be punished by lowering prices and the volume at 50%.

However, despite this reduction, an IRR of almost 30% and a NPV of almost 2 million dollars would be obtained with a return rate of 12%, a significant sum that would make the project quite profitable.

"It is important that, in order to obtain good returns, sow from 5 hectares, which will allow the farmer to recover his investment in the third and fourth year after planting"stressed the specialist, who added that it is also necessary to take into account the special conditions of the Peruvian soil.

REDUCTION OF SOIL AND WATER PH

The salinity and Ph of the Peruvian coast is a problem for the cultivation of blueberries, since they are too high, so it is necessary to reduce the Ph of the smaller soil to 6 and the lower electrical conductivity of 1.

Vial indicates that the land destined for cultivation must be loose, that it does not have large amounts of silt or clay, that it drains well, and that it has air to breathe, because the roots of the cranberry need enough air to develop.

"If the soil is compact, the blueberries, domesticated only for 120 years ago, will not be able to explore, which would be atrophy to their natural development" he maintained.

BEWARE OF PESTS

Among other measures, the scholar emphasizes the extreme caution that must be had with insects, mainly with the blind chicken, also known as anomalous.

"Both the blind chicken and the little pigs and white mosquitoes are quite harmful, because they eat the roots of the plant and contaminate it", estimated Vial, who added that the wind is another factor to consider because it delays the growth of the cranberry, so it would be necessary to consider putting curtains against vegetal or artificial wind.

Source: Agraria.pe/