Puno, Peru celebrates National Alpaca Day with artisan fair and research symposium

Artisans in Puno opened a fair in the central market of Puerto Muelle to mark the National Alpaca Day on August 1. The event displayed the complete alpaca‑fiber process – shearing, natural dyeing and hand‑weaving – and featured a runway of traditional garments. Master artisan Melida Cruz Choque said the products “tell a story,” and the fair supports the livelihoods of more than 250 local families who sell directly to tourists.

At the same time, specialists gathered for a symposium on alpaca genetics, fiber quality and animal health. Hosted by the CITE Textile Camélidos Puno of the Instituto Tecnológico de la Producción and the regional Ministry of Production, the meeting drew over 160 participants from several Peruvian regions. Director Higinio Porto Huasco highlighted the alpaca’s economic importance for high‑Andean families, while regional official Fredy Huisa Yupanqui affirmed Puno’s status as the country’s leading alpaca‑fiber producer. Researchers presented advances in reproductive management, controlled breeding, genetic improvement and sustainable pasture practices, including the operation of 13 production centers with 78 breeding males.