Jorge Soruco / La Paz
The war between Russia and Ukraine caused the rise in prices of agricultural products such as soybeans, corn and wheat. However, this good news for the sector can become bad for consumers, since it can cause an increase in the price of chicken and pork.
The situation was warned by the general coordinator of the regional Agricultural Chamber of Cochabamba, Rolando Morales. “The Government has to take measures to prevent the cost of meat from increasing because the cost of food for animals can rise,” Morales explained to Página Siete.
“Because of the armed conflict, the prices of soybeans, corn and wheat have skyrocketed in the Chicago and Buenos Aires stock markets. This means that its cost also increased. Now, most of the soy produced in the country is destined for export, but a part remains for domestic consumption and those who raise animals, such as chickens and pigs, depend on it to feed them. If it goes up, therefore, the price of meat will also go up, ”he assured.
Currently the price of the surplus for domestic sale is kept stable by the Government. But, Morales warned, it could go off.
“We must remember that as soon as a war is triggered, of the characteristics of the one in Russia and Ukraine, the governments of the world begin to have stockpiling policies to guarantee the feeding of their population. And that includes soy farming giants like China and the United States. So even small growers like us will see increased revenues,” he said.
This situation also affects corn and wheat. Their potential is high, since they are not only used for human consumption, but also for livestock and their processing in the industry.
Currently, the country is experiencing grain shortages. Last week, the Poultry Farmers Association of Santa Cruz (ADA) denounced that the Food Production Support Company (Emapa) continues without supplying a large part of the poultry producers and that it discriminates against poultry farmers in the distribution of quotas. of corn
Producers agree on the need for supply and price stability. “What we officially ask as the Agricultural Chamber of Cochabamba is that the State maintain price control,” said the representative of the sector.
On Friday it was reported that the price of soybeans for contracts that expire in March fell 4% and closed with a value of 584.3 dollars per ton. A day earlier, on Thursday, it had skyrocketed to $645 due to the armed conflict in Europe.
The manager of the National Association of Oilseed Producers (Anapo), Jaime Hernández, indicated that the rise in prices can generate at least 1,500 million dollars of foreign currency, similar to that of the year 2021, contributing to the economic reactivation.
This means an important advance for the sector, since in 2022 the droughts at the beginning of the year affected the production of oilseeds. “Although it is possible that we will match the export record for the year 2021, despite having better prices, we will have less production of soybean grain due to the productive losses generated by the drought presented in this summer campaign. That is why the importance of biotechnology to avoid losses and generate higher income for the country”, Hernández told Página Siete.
For his part, the president of Anapo, Fidel Flores, considered that this situation can help the agricultural sector move forward after the droughts. “It’s an opportunity for producers,” he remarked.
But there is an increase that instead of helping harms the country. This is the case of wheat. National producers only cultivate 30% of Bolivian consumption. The rest must be imported, mainly from Argentina.
grain shortage
- Corn The Poultry Farmers Association of Santa Cruz (ADA) denounced that Emapa does not supply a large part of the poultry producers and that it discriminates against them.
- Shortage On February 9, the poultry institution announced the critical situation that its sector is going through due to the lack of corn supply.
- Discrimination They denounce that many large poultry farmers do not receive the corn, despite having paid for it, and that they are discriminated against.
- Request For the broiler sector alone, 40,000 tons are required, not to mention the demand for corn from dairy and pig farmers.
