Overview
- The Asociación Peruana de Productores de Arroz, led by Hermitanio Rojas, issued a public ultimatum and warned of an open-ended nationwide stoppage if there is no emergency declaration.
- Producers report farmgate payments of S/0.50–S/0.60 per kilogram despite higher fertilizer and fuel costs, a squeeze they say affects roughly 150,000 growers.
- Their demands include a sector emergency declaration, a 120-day suspension of rice imports, and enforcement of inspections by Senasa.
- Leaders allege Asian rice is arriving contaminated or “recycled,” being mixed with domestic grain, and sold under recognized brands, and they call for tighter oversight.
- They say planned government purchases for social food programs have not materialized and warn that potato, maize and sugarcane producers could join the protest.