Peru aims to plant 80 million additional seedlings by 2011

Peru’s government is planning to spend an additional 45 million soles, about $15.8 million, to plant 80 million seedlings by 2011, state news agency Andina reported.

Agriculture Minister Adolfo de Córdova said the cost is about a third of the normal price.

“Normally it would cost 1.50 soles ($0.52) per tree. The planting of the 80 million remaining trees would cost 130 million soles ($45 million),” de Córdova was quoted as saying. “But thanks to the work of rural communities, regional governments and a technical team from (state agency) Agrorural, we have reduced the prices by a third.”

Peru began a national reforestation campaign in 2008 aimed at mitigating climate change. On Tuesday, President Alan García planted seedling number 100 million in the seaport city of Callao.

The seedlings were planted throughout rural areas in Peru’s coastal, Andean and jungle regions. Forty million seedlings were planted between 2008 and 2009, while another 60 million were planted since 2009. The seedlings included eucalyptus, tara, cyprus trees

García said that according to United Nations figures Peru’s reforestation campaign was the largest in Latin America and ninth largest in the world.