Page Seven / La Paz
The drought and frosts reduced the production of corn, sorghum and wheat by up to 6%, although these crops generated an economic movement of 1,600 million dollars, 38% more than in 2020, reported the National Association of Wheat and Oilseed Producers ( Anapo).
The manager of Anapo, Jaime Hernández, reported that in the 2021 management, as a result of the sowing of the agricultural campaigns of summer 2020-2021 and winter 2021, the total production of soybeans, corn, sorghum, sunflower, wheat and chia has was 4,744,000 tons (4.7 million tons), which represents a decrease of 6% in relation to the 2020 management.
He clarified that this decrease in production was due to the fact that farmers in the 2021 winter campaign were affected by a prolonged drought and intense cold with frosts that caused considerable productive losses, mainly in sorghum and corn crops, which were the most affected by these phenomena.
In the 2020-2021 summer season there were favorable weather conditions that allowed a significant increase in soybean production and income due to the favorable price situation in the international market, which allowed us to face the productive and economic losses that, later, they occurred in the winter campaign
3.1 million tons of soybean, corn and sorghum crops were produced, which represent an increase of 22% compared to the previous summer; and in the 2021 winter campaign, it was only possible to produce 1.6 million tons of soybeans, wheat, sunflower, corn, chia and sorghum, with a 37% decrease compared to the previous winter.
Despite the decline, Hernández stressed that the total production of grains in 2021 represented an economic movement of at least 1,600 million dollars, which were distributed throughout the food production chain and represented an increase of 38% compared to 2020.
Oilseed exports, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), reached 1,244 million dollars as of October, representing an increase of 38% compared to 2020.
He stressed that as a productive sector they are stagnant in the sowing area in recent years with 2.3 million hectares, in the two agricultural seasons, thus ruling out any expansion of the agricultural frontier.
“Unfortunately, it has not been possible to establish a productive agenda with the Government to solve the main problems of the agro-productive sector, despite the existing potential to increase food production, generate greater surpluses for export and thereby increase the income of foreign exchange for the country and contribute to economic reactivation ”.
The sector demands access to biotechnology with new events of genetically improved seed in soybeans and corn and the fight against smuggling, implement Puerto Busch and guarantee legal security.
Main crops
-
Soy In 2021, a total production of 3,273,000 tons was achieved, which is 21% higher than 2020.
-
Corn Production reached 522 thousand tons, 10% less than in 2020.
-
Sorghum Production reached 554 thousand tons, 157% lower than in 2019.
-
Sunflower 205 thousand tons were achieved, 7% more.
