Peruvian government agency Sierra Exportadora has embarked on a project to establish a budding raspberry industry in the northern province of San Marcos in the Cajamarca region.

In a release, the agency said between 800,000 to one million raspberry seedlings would be planted within a year.

To foment the initiative, Sierra Exportadora held an event to plug the idea on June 26-27, with the support of workshops from Chilean raspberry expert Edgardo Weisser and Cajamarca Chamber of Commerce and Production advisor Juan Vargas.

On the second day, participants were given a guided tour of nurseries and greenhouses in the Baños del Inca district where the berries are cultivated.

Sierra Exportadora Cajamarca Headquarters general coordinator Randy Barreto, explained these facilities currently had 25,000 raspberry seedlings, which would be transplanted across 80-100 hectares to kick off the project.

He emphasized this would help achieve goals announced publicly by Sierra's executive president Alfonso Velásquez, who said Cajamarca would soon become Peru's berry capital, due to its excellent climatic conditions, fertile soil and good altitudes for production of the crop.

The main objective of the event was to let chamber members, as well as representatives and leaders of agricultural groups, understand the importance and potential of raspberries for mass cultivation, destined for sale in the domestic market and preferably the international market.

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