Peru becomes leading supplier of fashionable Pret a Porter French brands

Peru has become one of the leading suppliers of fashionable Pret a Porter French brands, such as Cacharel, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Petit Bateau, Christian Dior and Kenzo, Fédération Française du Prêt à Porter Feminin President, Jean Pierre Mocho said Thursday.

"Nowadays, Peru is working with the best French brands; however, some companies prefer not to disclose that information since they are not required to affix on the label the origin of the product," he told Andina news agency.

French brands tend not to order large volumes, unlike US brands, but handle small volume orders that demand more added value and, therefore, seek Peruvian apparel, he said.

According to Mocho, alpaca is becoming the biggest competitor in France of cashmere, one of the rarest and most precious natural fibres in the world.

“Nowadays, more and more French brands are using Peruvian alpaca and cotton in their creations as they recognize the quality of Peruvian raw material and apparel,” he added. (Andina)

US designers trade mission to arrive in Lima to participate in Peru Moda 2010

Renowned US designers will arrive in Lima as members of the Greater Washington Fashion Chamber of Commerce (GWFCC) second annual trade mission to Peru Moda 2010, to be held April 28-30.

Among DC based designers are Cecilia Guerra of Ceci G and CG Orginials, Tashia Senn Designs and Tsyndyma Designs.

The GWFCC said it continues to participate in the program launched by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism to create a business-to-business partnership between the US and Peru by introducing design and textile exchange between fashion designers from both countries.

"The Peru Moda fashion trade mission allows GWFCC to continue the support of business-to-business development by recognizing international design talent and connecting American designers to Peruvian manufacturers", stated GWFCC president, Christine Brooks-Cropper.

The Peruvian Government and Apparel & Textile Industry has partnered with GWFCC to attract Washington, DC based fashion business and promote their country as a major tourist destination to the international public.

"We are proud that the Peruvian government has recognized our dedication to promoting worldwide business opportunities for American members of the fashion industry," said Brooks-Cropper.

The GWFCC's invitation to attend Peru Moda follows the implementation of the Free Trade Act signed between the US and Peru during February of 2009.

Brooks-Cropper has, for the second consecutive year, been selected to participate as a member of the Peru Moda Fashion Jury to judge the "Esthetic" runway show and appoint this year's winner of the "Young Creators to the World" competition.

The show will feature the country's top emerging young designers from four area fashion design schools on April 29, 2010 at the Callao' Real Felipe Castle.

Contestants will showcase 4 designs each constructed with alpaca and cotton.

The GWFCC is the sole voice of fashion business in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. The organization is a trade association that serves the greater Washington metropolitan area.

Its purpose is to promote the business interests of those in the Fashion/Style Industry in addition to promoting Washington as a Global Fashion Capital.

GWFCC offers an unprecedented forum for the members of the local fashion industry to connect for business. This forum builds bridges in our community and helps grow revenue for the industry and the city. (Andina)

March preliminary data suggest significant dynamism of economic activity

The Central Reserve Bank of Peru (BCR) highlighted Saturday the preliminary economic data in the fishery, hydrocarbon, construction and electricity sectors, registered in March this year, relevant to the economic activity, which may reflect an important dynamism of the production in that month.

Peruvian economic activity grew 3.63 percent in January 2010 and 5.92 percent last February, as a result of positive performance of almost all economic activities, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI).

According to the Peruvian Marine Research Institute (IMARPE), 43.4 thousand tons of anchovy caught in March 2010, registering a 155.6 percent increase compared to March last year.

Hydrocarbon production in March 2010 increased 10 percent, according to the Energy and Mines Ministry.

Meanwhile, local cement dispatches went from 547,000 to 681,000 tons between March 2009 and March 2010, a 24.5 percent rise according to the National Association of Cement Producers (ASOCEM). (Andina)

Peru's mining exports up 53.8% totaling US$ 3.1 billion in January-February

Peru's mining exports in the first two months of the year totaled US$ 3.1 billon,a 53.8 percent rise compared to the same period last year, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) reported.

Copper exports topped the list of Peru's exports posting US$1.2 billion sales, which surpassed by 119 percent the number reached last year, when the international crisis affected metal prices, according to Peru's Central Reserve Bank (BCR).,

Higher copper prices in the international markets have been key in the results of the first two months of the current year, though 183.000 metric tons were loaded, less than last year.

Gold exports also stand out totaling US$ 1.1 billion, 21.6 percent more than last year in the same period.

Zinc exports totaled US$ 258 million, a 198.2 percent rise compared to last year. (Andina)

Peruvian coffee regarded as the best in the world

Peruvian coffee won the award as “best specialty coffee in the world,” beating important producers like Colombia, Guatemala and Kenya within the framework of the of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) 22nd Annual Exposition.

The winner is Wilson Sucaticona, a modest coffee grower in Sandia Valley located in Puno. He has only 3 hectares of crops and is member of the central cooperative of Sandia Valleys.

Peru beat famous international producers, captivating a rigorous and strict jury of experts who, after testing the 139 varieties of coffees from all over the world, declared Peru as the winner, by its taste and aroma.

Domestic producers, supported by Peru's Agriculture Ministry (Minag), participated last week in the SCAA, held in California, United States, one of the most important events of specialty coffees in the world.

“We are proud of efforts made by Peruvian cooperatives for their contribution with the development of our country and the prestige of our coffee,” the President of the Peruvian Coffee Board (JNC), Cesar Rivar said. (Andina)

Cebiche and chicha morada shined at food festival in Bolivia

Fourteen Peruvian restaurants participated in the fifth Food Festival of Peruvian cuisine in La Paz last weekend, offering their best dishes such as cebiche, papa a la huancaina, among others.

Peruvians living in Bolivia crowded the Avaroa square during the fifth Food Festival of Peruvian cuisine in La Paz, and did not hesitate on offering the best dishes of their country such as cebiche, papa a la huancaina, aji de gallina, arroz con mariscos and the traditional sweets like arroz con leche and mazamorra morada.

According to the Bolivian newspaper “ La Prensa”, the Municipality of La Paz, declared that the third Saturday of every April, a tribute to Peruvian gastronomy will always be paid through this kind of festivals, where people can try varied dishes.

“The prices of the dishes are not cheap, although they are worth getting paid for because the flavor of Peruvian cuisine is delicious”, stated Juan Coimbra, one of the attendees.

Peru’s ambassador in Bolivia, Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros, Peruvian consul at the city El Alto, Cibor Chicata, and Bolivian officer, Walter Gomez, attended the festival that gathered 14 Peruvian restaurants, reported El Comercio. (Andina)

Israel Corp unit Inkia wins large energy deal in Peru

Israel Corporation wholly-owned subsidiary Inkia Energy Ltd. has signed power purchase agreements (PPA) worth at least $1.5 billion through its Peruvian unit Kallpa Generacion SA.

Kallpa signed several 8-10-year PPAs with a local power distributor for the sale of 560 megawatts of electricity beginning in 2014, globes.co.il reported.

The electricity will be produced from Kallpa's gas turbine power plants. The new PPAs follow Kallpa's current long-term contracts, and boost electricity sales to 850 megawatts from the company's existing power plants as well as power stations under construction.

Inkia operates power plants in several Latin American countries through local subsidiaries, such as Kallpa, in which it owns a 75% stake.

The company currently produces 3,000 megawatts, mostly in Peru, where it produces 40% of the country's electricity. For the sake of comparison, electricity production in Israel is 11,000 megawatts a year.

Israel Corp's share price fell 0.9% in morning trading to NIS 3,109. (Andina)

US, Peru to expand defense partnership through bilateral and multilateral initiatives

Defense Secretary Robert Gates declared his meeting today in Lima with Peruvian Defense Minister Rafael Rey a positive step toward deepening a bilateral security arrangement that is "vitally" important to both of them.

Today’s talks covered a variety of bilateral and multilateral initiatives, including joint staff talks to begin tomorrow in Washington, a bilateral working group scheduled in late May and the Inter-American Defense Board, he stated.

“Our two nations are deepening an already-robust military partnership, and we discussed expanding this relationship through bilateral and multilateral initiatives,” Gates said.

The US Defense Department official reiterated his country's commitment to help Peru tackle illicit trafficking, narcotics and terrorism to reporters gathered at the Peruvian army headquarters.

"Such trans-border challenges can only be overcome through strong international cooperation,” he said.

Gates noted Peru’s cooperation with regional security partners including Colombia and Mexico, and said the United States is encouraged by the recent military training and doctrine exchanges between Peru and Colombia.

“We stand ready to assist as appropriate in these regional initiatives,” he said.

Gates praised Peru’s military, which he said has proven it is “willing and able to respond to regional humanitarian needs.” He commended Peru on its commitment to send 150 additional peacekeepers this week to support the United Nations’ mission in Haiti.

Both Gates and Rey clarified that today’s talks did not cover any possibility of basing U.S. troops in Peru.

“There was no discussion whatsoever of any possible base. I think the key here is, as we look to the future is, how can we best work together along with Colombia in (the) counternarcotics arena?” Gates said.

“We clearly want to do that in a way that is comfortable and politically acceptable for our partners. And we will examine any possibilities in the future in terms of air surveillance or counternarcotics within that framework.”

Gates emphasized that his visit to the region is not designed to send a message to Venezuela or to discourage Iranian influence here.

He noted the signing of a new defense cooperation agreement with Brazil at the Pentagon earlier this week, and his plans to visit Colombia and the Caribbean before returning to Washington.

“These arrangements between ourselves and Brazil, ourselves and Peru, ourselves and Colombia, are about these countries, not about anybody else. That will also be true of his meeting with seven Caribbean defense ministers in Barbados", he said.

After his session with Rey, Gates held a meeting with President Alan Garcia at the Government Palace. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he reitered both countries’ mutual interest in furthering their defense relationship in the years ahead.

Gates last visited Peru in October 2007, when Peruvian defense officials presented him a plan for combating arms and drug trafficking up its rivers and coasts.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Peru in March 2009 as part of a regional visit to promote closer military-to-military relations. (Andina)

French restaurants include ceviche, causa and tiradito on their regular menu

Some restaurants in France, a country famed for fine cuisine, are including Peruvian traditional dishes on their daily menus such as cebiche, causa and tiradito, which shows recognition of the quality, variety and great taste of Peruvian food, said Eduardo Justo Caballero, owner of Paris-based Peruvian restaurant "El Picaflor".

In a telephone conversation from Paris with Andina news agency, Justo Caballero explained that, in some cases, cebiche is prepared with an oriental flair, that is, with soy sauce.

However he thinks this invention is a plus for Peruvian cuisine because it enables people to compare it with the authentic and national flavor and realize the original recipe is better.

El Picaflor has participated in a diplomatic convention of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) which is held every two years.

On that occasion, the restaurant offered two tasting menus, one French and the other Peruvian.

"We served arroz con pato, cebiche, causa, tiradito, ají de gallina, seco de cordero and viudo de pescado, a dish created by our chef Lourdes Centty, which consists of steamed fish with coconut milk and yuca”, he pointed out.

The restaurant has been with the Unesco for five years and managed to include cause and tiradito on its regular menu. (Andina)

Machu Picchu receives some 1,500 tourists daily since reopening

The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu receives some 1500 visitors a day from Thursday, when it officially reopened to domestic and foreign tourists, reported the manager of the Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu Marco Palomino.

Most visitors are European -mainly French and British- and Latin American -Argentine and Brazilian. Domestic tourists are mainly from Lima.

"Visitors have great expectation of seeing Machu Picchu due to its status as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the recent events," Palomino said adding that he noted the presence of families, young people and even seniors.

He said maintenance and restoration works were undertaken during the closure of the famous citadel, mainly in the area of mount Huayna Picchu.

According to Palomino, the Institutional Image Department of the National Institute of Culture (INC) in Cusco will soon issue a statement with further information on the subject.

Heavy rains caused the Vilcanota River to rise to its highest level in 25 years, flooding roads and destroying the railway near the famous Inca citadel, which forced the closure of this tourist attraction for the past two months. (Andina)

Minister Garcia Belaunde invites King of Saudi Arabia to visit Peru

Peruvian Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde has invited the King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to pay a visit to Peru in 2011.

The Peruvian minister, who is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, delivered the King an invitation letter from President Alan Garcia Perez.

Minister Garcia Belaunde said that King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud's visit to Peru could take place on the sidelines of the Third Summit of South American-Arab Countries (ASPA), due to be held in Lima in February next year.

Garcia Belaunde pointed out that Peru is keen to boost Arab countries’ presence in the country through investment, trade and cooperation.

Noting that Peru is one of the Latin America nations having long-standing relations with Saudi Arabia, he hoped the bilateral ties will be further strengthened with His Majesty’s visit to the Andean country.

Minister Garcia Belaunde also announced plans to open a Peruvian embassy in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, an initiative that was highly appreciated and welcomed by King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Before meeting with the King of Saudi Arabia, the Peruvian foreign minister held talks with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nizar bin Obaid Madani. This is the first-ever visit to Saudi Arabia by a Peruvian Foreign Minister. (Andina)