NewsTraditional Remedies

Peru, The Main Exporter of Tara

Tara (Foto: Brayan Coraza Morveli)

Tara is a tree native to Peru that is now grown elsewhere in the world as well. It has different uses. It has a high potential for successful reforestation and is used in the industrial production of dyes, tannins, gums. It also is an input for anticorrosive paints and finally it is a remedy for many ills that local people suffer.

The tara tree grows in the mountains and coast up to 3000 meters above sea level. It can measure up to 12 meters in height at maturity. This is a wild plant and can be grown in sandy and rocky soils.

It is characterized by leaves that are in the form of ovoid feathers and that have a dark green color. Its flowers are reddish yellow arranged in clusters, 8 to 15 cm long. Finally, what is most used in the industry are its fruit. They grow in the form of orange-colored, indehiscent pods 8 to 10 cm long.

“Peru produces 40 thousand tons of tare per year (17 thousand hectares), which represents more than 90% of the world volume, making our country the main global supplier of this product,” said the tara specialist, César Barriga Ruiz.

He indicated that, of total Peruvian production, 80% comes from wild forests (located in Cajamarca, Ayacucho, Ancash, Huánuco and Cusco). There are 10 thousand hectares of forests where the tara participates in the composition of flora.

César Barriga, stressed that the tara industry takes advantage of everything, for example, even the fine powder that is destined mainly for the leather industry is removed from the pod. This industry exports the larges amount of tara in Peru.

In addition, coarse ground product goes to the pharmaceutical chemical industry, where tannin, gallic acid and its derivatives are mainly produced. On a smaller scale, it goes to wine industry (bitter taste and maintaining colors).

On the other hand, from the tara seed, gum is obtained which is mainly destined to the food industry (ice cream, mustard, etc.). Peru annually exports US $ 48 million between tara powder and rubber. ”

In addition, since pre-Hispanic times the Tara has served as a natural medicine among other things. An important archaeological center takes as its name “Tara Wasi,” the house of tara. It is in the district of Limatambo and is exactly next to the route Cusco – Abancay. Its name it is exactly why tara grows in this place.

In natural medicine, tara is used to cure ulcers, healing, for its astringent, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antidiarrheal, antifungal, antibacterial, antiscorbutic, odontalgic and anti-dysenteric effects.

Tara is an important product that lifts the name of Peru on high. The tradition of using tara as a remedy is followed from generation to generation since the time of the Incas.

Title: Peru produces more than 90% of the global tare

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