The production of guinea pigs reaches one million in Tungurahua

Ecuadornews:

The province is the second largest producer of this species in the country. It supplies the local demand and also satisfies the requirements of the Azuay gastronomic sector.

Azuay is the province with the highest consumption of guinea pig in the country, and Tungurahua is the second largest producer of the species nationwide. These and other data were presented at the First Regional Congress of the Cuy, held on October 12 and 13 in the Tungurahua municipality of Cevallos.

Experts in breeding, reproduction, commercialization and gastronomic preparation of this typical animal from the Andean region gathered there. One of them is Diana Avilés, teacher and researcher of the career of Veterinary Medicine at the Technical University of Ambato.

“Cevallos was chosen as the venue for the event, since the raising of guinea pig is one of the main productive activities of the place. It is estimated that in Tungurahua between 1 million and 1 million one hundred thousand of these animals are produced every year, much of which goes to the gastronomic sector and a minimum becomes pets, “said the expert.

 José Oñate, municipal development technician, pointed out that although the cunicultural production supplies the demand of the 9 local cantons, it is also destined to Azuay. “Especially to the city of Cuenca, where a large part of the canteens offer cuy in different presentations.

From there come every Thursday, day of fair in Cevallos, many restaurant owners and buy in large quantities, “said Onate. The improvement of marketing and support to local development projects was another of the issues addressed in the Congress. “The mayors office promotes every week the animal fair, and there are plans to boost the activity in the short term,” said the mayor of Cevallos, Mauricio Miranda. (I)

Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/regional/1/reproduccion-cuyes-tungurahua