With the harvest in full swing Rice producers expect this Tuesday a solution to a problem that has been complicating them since the weekend: the supergas workers conflict left without supply gas to various producers, an input used for grain dryingreported to The Observer Alfredo Lago, president of the Rice Growers Association (ACA). This Tuesday, some producers -of the most affected- they wait for the supply to normalize to harvest again and send production to the industry.
Workers in the supergas sector carried out strikes and mobilizations in recent days as part of the labor negotiations in the Wage Councils, and some companies, such as Riogas “have not delivered bulk gas since last Thursday,” he said.
This lack of gas has generated some problems in some industries –although they have not been generalized–, since once the rice is harvested it must be dried quickly because it has a short shelf life in good condition.
“Some industries since Friday have no more gas and had to turn off the dryers. Today we were informed that they would be delivering. In some cases it has not been possible to harvest because there was not enough drying capacity and this is a problem that is only now being solved,” said Lago.
The importance of gas
When the rice leaves the farm after the harvest, it has a humidity that is between 20% and 22% and with drying it drops to 13%, the producer explained. LPG gas is equivalent to 40% of the energy used for this drying, which ends with the use of firewood.
With gas as an energy source, the aim is to serve certain sectors of the market that have requirements with the use of firewood, because “they understand that eucalyptus generates some type of odor in the flavor of rice,” he said.
Union measures have been affecting since last week the supply of LPG for the rice industries.
In this regard, I highlight the concern and action of the government:
Minister of @MIEM_Uruguay @OmarPaganini and Vice Minister of @MGAPUruguay @ignacio_buffa with the @MTSSuy https://t.co/4T6C38fdC0– Alfredo Lago (@FreddyLago) April 11, 2022
How is the rice harvest coming?
The rice harvest is two-thirds complete. “We are in the final stretch,” commented Lago, who stressed that the quality looks very good, except in Artigas where some farms presented quality problems due to “climatic issues”, that was one of the departments where the drought was strongest.
Growers anticipate good levels of productivity and understand that the campaign will culminate with a average of 9,200 kilos per hectare, which “is a very good productive level”. In the previous harvest, productivity was 9,400 kilos per hectare.
Besides, 30% of the production has already been sold abroadwhich “is a good indicator,” he concluded.
