LIMA (Reuters – Peru’s economy grew by 3.47% in November, its lowest growth rate since March. The government cited an increase in consumption, but it was countered by a decline in key mining sectors, which are being affected by environmental protests.

When Peru still suffered from the coronavirus lockdown, its economy fell 2.8% in November 2020.

Some mining operations were disrupted in 2021 by citizen protests. These citizens claimed that communities around the mines suffered environmental damage, but were not getting enough from this sector.

According to the official INEI statistics agency, the economy grew at 14.68% during the first 11 months in 2021.

According to the statistics agency, Peru’s mining and hydrocarbons industry, which is key for its economy as it accounts for 60% of exports, saw a drop of 5.29% in November. This was mainly due to lower copper, zinc and iron production.

Due to strict restrictions in combating the pandemic, Peru’s economy suffered a 11.1% drop in 2020. This was one of the most severe contractions in Latin America. According to official estimates, Peru’s economy experienced 13.2% growth in full-year 2021.