Lima - In another sign of growing global unrest over rising food costs, protesters in the poor Peruvian province of Puno, in the south-east, shut down the region with blockades and strikes.

Most businesses and schools remained closed, and busses and taxis were few and far between, national media reported.

The main roads in the province, 1,300 kilometres from the capital Lima, were made impassable by piles of burning tires, construction refuse and tree trunks.

The initiative for the protests came from a so-called people's congress that included many civic movements.

Food prices have doubled in the last year in Peru. The president of one of the civic initiatives, Abraham Cauna Poma, told the radio station RPP that the protests were aimed at the "neoliberal policies" of President Alan Garcia.

While his economic programme has pumped up economic growth, the simple people were suffering, he said.

Puno is home to 1.3 million people, mostly Aymara Indios. (dpa)