The agricultural situation in the countryside is difficult. «the peasant table» It has not changed, although it is increasingly difficult to get food. An example of this is what happens with corn, although it is difficult to plant it because of the cost of the seed, because of the cost of inputs, the peasants continue to plant it because the pinol and tortillas come from there, warns an engineer Jinotega agronomist.
«In productive terms, corn is not profitable, because otherwise we would all be rich here (with money).», points out. He explains that in the current harvest, it is true that some inputs have dropped, but among them, you can only see a drop in the cost of urea, not the complete fertilizers, which are practically at the same price, or the foliar ones, fungicides , insecticides that have rather increased their price.
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The specialist also assures that it is notable that less food is being consumed in peasant homes. A pound of beans costs thirty córdobas, a quintal of corn costs one thousand and fifty córdobas, this is an obvious sign that there has been no storage and for this reason, these products are rising in price.
Bad nutrition
We have stopped eating protein, to go on to a cheaper diet, the only protein we have access to, is probably the egg because you get it from backyard chickens, there is also a shortage of medicines, he assures.
«What can be seen in the countryside is very marked poverty, more than in previous years. If you see buildings or people who are living relatively well, it is because they receive remittances from abroad.»explains the expert.
bad winter threatens
He also ensures that this year the producers face a bad winter. «It did not rain all of May, but in mid-June and we have barely had four days of rain, but this does not guarantee that there will be productivity, because the crops spent more than twenty days subjected to the heat and now it is raining and that generates a conflict at the agronomic level»add.
Also by mid-July, which is when the heatwave enters, if the forecasts really come true, the El Niño phenomenon will affect the country. «That means that only the corn will be malacatiando (heading). In this process from July 15 to August 15, if the heatwave is dry, the production will not be good, the corn will be compromised, both for its output and for its filling or formation of grains»assures.
Although it has been raining normally in recent days, the harvest has already been affected and consequently there will be little yield.
By: United Voices.
