The Minister of Agricultural Development and Irrigation, Felipe Meza, announced on March 15 that the ministry will soon approve regulations for the National Planting and Irrigation Plan. This plan aims to organize rice planting and other annual crops across the country.
The announcement was made during a working meeting in Jaén, Cajamarca. Meza said that this regulatory instrument will help organize agricultural production and prevent market distortions. “Próximamente, se aprobará el reglamento, que permitirá establecer parámetros para ordenar el cultivo del arroz y otros cultivos anuales,” he said.
Meza also highlighted that national rice production has grown steadily in recent years. He noted that output increased from 2.97 million tons in the 2016-2017 season to 3.5 million tons in the 2024-2025 season, with a projected additional increase of 50,000 tons for the 2025-2026 season.
In this context, Meza recalled that the government updated the price band through Supreme Decree No. 338-2025-EF, raising the additional tariff on imports to nearly $200 per ton. As a complementary measure, he said the ministry is promoting mechanisms to improve product marketing. Among these is the “Maratón del Arroz” initiative, which aims to facilitate direct sales without intermediaries.
“Conectaremos directamente a los productores con trabajadores de entidades públicas y privadas, eliminando intermediarios,” Meza said. He explained that this mechanism will be implemented through Agromercado and Agro Rural to create new marketing spaces.
Finally, Meza stated that his ministry is coordinating with community kitchens and common pots to promote direct sales and expand marketing channels as part of ongoing efforts by MIDAGRI to strengthen agricultural development and improve conditions for family farmers.
