Peru is not normally associated with tree nut production, but strong interest from the country combined with favorable growing conditions suggest it could follow in the footsteps of its southern neighbor Chile.

The Nurseries' Association of Chile (AGV) has received numerous inquiries from Peruvian companies about importing almond and walnut plants, both of which were cleared for entry into the Andean country in 2015.

"For a while now we have had partner nurseries contacting us asking if we could send plants to Peru, since they have been receiving requests from growers," AGV general manager Maritrini Lapuente told www.freshfruitportal.com.

Lapuente said the association had recently participated in an industry conference in Peru's northern Piura region, where it displayed the plant varieties it had to offer.

"We saw that there is there is a lot of interest for walnuts and almonds, as well as cherries. There are even lots of advisors who are supporting some projects to evaluate the potential for these kinds of plants," she said.

Mario Machuca, an agronomic engineer and tree nut consultant, explained that interest in Peru had been boosted by the fact the trees require little labor since machines can be used to a high degree.

"They could be a great alternative for large companies that have big areas of land, and they could also become a profitable crop for traditional farmers to grow," he said.

Although Peru's climate differs greatly from major nut-growing areas like California, Spain or Chile, Machuca said the plants could adapt well to many areas of the country.

"In Peru there are areas with diverse climatic conditions, as well as different soil and water types," he said.

"Here you cannot apply lots of the farm management techniques used in California or Chile - you can't just cut and paste, but there is enough area to plant."

He said successful trials had been carried out in four different areas. In the La Libertad region, for example, the temperatures are very consistent throughout the year, allowing for a 'formidable' vegetative growth.

"The area to the north of Lima also has this advantage, and in just 18 months you can have a well-developed tree," he said.

"We have been carrying out trials for two years and the productivity that we have seen is what we expected. In two years the trees can produce 350 kilos per hectare, whereas in Chile it would take three years to achieve that."

Lapuente added that worldwide demand for tree nuts was outpacing supply by far, despite large volumes produced by the likes of China, the U.S. and Turkey.

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