Peru Guards Its Guano as Demand Soars Again - NYTimes.com

Peru Guards Its Guano as Demand Soars Again - NYTimes.com: In May of 2008, Peru's guano trade resurfaces as an important economic asset.

"The dung will probably never be the focus of a boom as intense as the one in the 19th century, when deposits were 150 feet high, with export proceeds accounting for most of the national budget. The guano on most islands, including Isla de Asia, south of the capital, Lima, now reaches less than a foot or so. But the guano that remains here is coveted when viewed in the context of the frenzy in Peru and abroad around synthetic fertilizers like urea, which has doubled in price to more than $600 a ton in the last year."