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Environmental emergency! Mercury pollution affects coffee and other agricultural planting environments in Peru

Published: 2026-02-25 Author:

Last Updated: 2026/02/25, It is understood that Peru is a traditional agricultural and mining country and a country rich in tourism resources. But recently, Peru has suffered a series of disasters that have affected the country's agricultural industry and tourism. Recently, according to a report released by the Peruvian Institute of Geophysics, the Sabancaya volcano (Sab) located in the south of the country

It is understood that Peru is not only a traditional agricultural and mining country, but also a country rich in tourism resources. But recently, the Peruvian country has suffered a series of disasters, affecting the country's agricultural industry and tourism.

According to a recent report released by the Peruvian Geophysical Institute, the Sabancaya volcano in the south of the country is on orange alert and is at a moderate level of eruption, with an average of 12 eruptions a day, producing a 1500-meter column of gas and ash plumes at the top of the volcano.

Besides the first time, there were earthquakes related to rock faults and 164 earthquakes caused by magmatic fluid circulation in volcanoes in the ocean. Due to continued volcanic ash emissions, seriously affecting farms and pastures 10 kilometers from the fire mouth, local residents need to be evacuated and air routes are banned.

In addition to volcanic eruptions, the Peruvian Ministry of Environment declared an environmental emergency in the central and western Peruvian cities of Vancavelica (Huancavelica) and the southern province of Cuzco due to heavy metal mercury pollution, causing serious damage to the environment and public health.

It is understood that Huancavelica is located in the central and western part of Peru, is the trade center of agriculture and animal husbandry, there are coffee and other agricultural cultivation, but also brewing, flour, leather and dairy industries. But the city has the famous Santa Barbara Mercury Mine (Santa Barbara).

In addition, Cuzco is a city rich in tourism resources. Although it has less arable land, it also grows wheat, corn, potatoes and coffee, and is one of Peru's coffee producing areas.

Mercury pollution causes serious damage to agricultural cultivation, environment and public health. Mercury pollution will inhibit plant growth, lead to plant growth, lead to plant dwarfism and leaf chlorosis, disrupt plant physiological metabolism and affect photosynthesis. Lead to poor absorption of plant nutrients, but also lead to excessive heavy metals in plant products, and ultimately affect the quality of agricultural products.

As a result, people in the industry are worried that this will affect Peru's coffee production. In addition, mercury pollution can also be harmful to human health, worried about the labor shortage caused by mercury pollution. After all, recently, due to drought, dengue fever and national politics, a large number of residents in the Americas have chosen to emigrate to other countries, resulting in a shortage of labor.

However, the Peruvian government attaches great importance to this mercury pollution and will launch a specific action plan to address the health and environmental problems of residents in contaminated areas. The Ministry of Environment will urgently deal with the worst affected areas, the Ministry of Energy and Mining will include the affected areas in its mining environmental responsibility list, reduce the risk of pollution through ecological restoration strategies, and local governments will adopt pollution response strategies.