harvesting guano in peru

There is money to be made from and in everything. Even bird excrement.

Thousands of Guanay Cormorant birds fly over and nest on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 10, 2011. Ballestas, as with other 21 islands along the Peruvian coast, are home of nearly 4 million migratory birds as guanays, boobies and pelicans which excrement make up the world's finest natural fertilizer. The bird dung, also known as guano, reached its greatest economic importance in the 19th century as a coveted resource,

being exported to United States, England and France. Now, Peru hopes to benefit mostly small farmers with an annual production of 20 thousand tons, destined to boost organic agriculture, according to Agrorural, the Rural Agrarian Productive Development Program. Picture taken October 10, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Boobies nest on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 9, 2011. Picture taken October 9, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Workers scrap stones to collect bird dung on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 8, 2011. Picture taken October 8, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Workers scrape stones to collect bird dung early morning on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 10, 2011. Picture taken October 10, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker scrapes stones to collect bird dung on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 10, 2011. Picture taken October 10, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Workers scrape stones to collect bird dung on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 9, 2011. Picture taken October 9, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Workers collect bird dung on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 8, 2011. Picture taken October 8, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker passes a bag full of guano to another fellow worker to be processed on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 9, 2011. Ballestas, as other 21 islands along the Peruvian coast, are home of nearly 4 million migratory birds as guanays, boobies and pelicans which excrement make up the world's finest natural fertilizer. The bird dung, also known as guano, reached its greatest economic importance in the XIX century as a coveted resource, being exported to United States, England and France. Nowadays Peru hopes to benefit mostly small farmers with an annual production of 20 thousand tons, destined to boost organic agriculture, according to Agrorural, the Rural Agrarian Productive Development Program. Picture taken October 9, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker throws an empty bag while processing guano on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 8, 2011. Picture taken October 8, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker collects bird dung on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 12, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Workers collect bird dung on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 8, 2011. Picture taken October 8, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares(PERU - Tags: SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT ANIMALS AGRICULTURE TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Workers collect bird dung on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 8, 2011. Picture taken October 8, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Workers process bird dung on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 8, 2011. Picture taken October 8, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker pushes a wheelbarrow to collect bird dung on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 11, 2011. Picture taken October 11, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Workers process bird dung on the Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 8, 2011. Picture taken October 8, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker collects bird dung on Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 8, 2011. Picture taken October 8, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker (C) walks in front of Guanay Cormorant birds on Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 9, 2011. Picture taken October 9, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Workers run as they carry bags of bird dung on Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 9, 2011. Picture taken October 9, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Workers collect bird dung on a field in Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 8, 2011. Picture taken October 8, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker walks among bags full of bird dung on Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 10, 2011. Picture taken October 10, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker takes a rest while processing bird dung on Ballestas island, south of Lima October 9, 2011. Picture taken October 9, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker takes a rest from bird dung processing on Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 11, 2011. . Picture taken October 11, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

A worker throws bird dung to be processed on Ballestas island, south of Lima, October 9, 2011. Picture taken October 9, 2011. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares