The market situation remains very quiet with only the Asian market showing signs of recovery. Demand from Asian buyers while not considered strong, has been
healthy enough in recent weeks to lift prices of some products.

Loans up
Peru's private sector banks saw a rise in consumer, mortgage and micro-enterprise loans in September, but a drop in their biggest segment, commercial loans.

Competitiveness support
The World Bank has approved a US$150 mil. loan forPeru to lift its fiscal management and competitiveness.

This is part of its commitment to help Peru during the post-financial crisis period.
This financial tool was arranged in collaboration with the Government of Peru to help it deal with the short-term effects of the global financial crisis.

Towards FTA
Peru's Government has apparently ratified the “Agreement signed between the Republic of Peru and Japan for the Promotion, Protection and Liberalization of Investment”.

This ratification is just one more step as a prerequisite for both countries to start negotiating a Free Trade Agreement.

San Martin deforestation
The Regional Director of Agriculture has said a third of San Martin forests have been degraded by shifting agriculture. He estimated of the 5 mil hectares of forest in San Martin some 1 mil. hectares has been lost or degraded.

Disney investment in forests
Walt Disney Co. has a forest conservation programme which will deliver some US$7 mil. this year to forest conservation. Some US$1 million will reportedly be
provided to the Alto Mayo Protection Forest in the department of San Martin, northern Peru.
The Alto Mayo project covers an area of about 300,000 hectares and is managed by local communities, local organizations, including the Peruvian Environmental Law
Society, SPDA, the Andean Ecosystems Association, the Ministry of the Environment and the national parks service as well as Conservation International.