Time to innovate

摘要

The past year has been a tough one for the Peruvian alpaca industry, with the impact of Covid-19 worsened by claims from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) of cruelty by alpaca farmers. The pandemic pressured Peru's alpaca fibre and textile companies to suspend or cut salaries, leaving many skilled workers in limbo and potentially losing them to the industry. And in some cases, companies just halted production. This was especially disruptive for a supply chain that relies on the loyalty to this product of local farmers, whose main activity is raising alpacas, and who may now seek alternative ways of earning an income, notes Carlos Penny, president of the textile committee at the Peruvian Exports Association (ADEX). According to Peru's agriculture and irrigation ministry, the country is home to 4.4 million alpacas (around 80% of the world population) and is the top producer of the fibre globally. There are 92,700 agricultural units dedicated to raising alpacas in the high Andean region, of which 76% (70,452) are small producers, and 24% (22,248) are medium or large.