Peru: Potato production falls 24.3% in September 2025 due to weather conditions
Adverse climatic factors directly influenced the development of the crop and its maturation stage, which ended up impacting the results of the evaluated month.
National potato production registered a sharp contraction in September 2025. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI), the total volume obtained reached 148,297 tons, a figure that represents a decrease of 24.3% compared to the same month of the previous year.
Weather conditions affected harvests
The technical report “Peru: Departmental Economic Overview – September 2025” details that this decline is primarily linked to smaller harvests in various producing regions of the country. Adverse weather conditions directly impacted crop development and ripening, ultimately affecting the results for the month under review.
Regions with the greatest decline in production
The negative trend was particularly pronounced in several regions in the south and center of the country. The steepest declines were recorded in:
Arequipa: -78.9%
Ayacucho: -76.7%
Huancavelica: -73.3%
Piura: -61.7%
Ica: -11.8%
These regions, traditionally important in potato production, were the hardest hit by the weather conditions.
Regions that drove partial growth
Despite the overall decline, some departments showed positive performance and managed to maintain part of the national supply destined for the domestic market. These include:
Freedom: +128.1%
Five: +32.4%
Huánuco: +20.5%
Cajamarca: +8.2%
Together, these four departments contributed 62.8% of the national potato production during the month.
Significant increases were also recorded in other regions such as Lambayeque (+116.7%), Pasco (+110.2%) and Apurímac (+56.2%), showing a heterogeneous behavior according to each agricultural zone.
A mixed outlook for the sector
The results show a challenging year for potato producers in several regions of the country, although some areas managed to partially offset the national decline. The National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) emphasized that September’s performance reflects the need to continue monitoring climatic factors and their impact on crops, given the importance of potatoes in the national diet and in Peru’s agricultural economy.
Fuente: eltiempo.pe
