Page Seven / La Paz
The Association of Corn and Sorghum Producers (Promasor) anticipates a deficit of 600 thousand tons (tn) in corn production this year due to the drought that affected the plantations. The sector asks to import the grain to meet the demand.
The president of Promasor, Mario Moreno, explained that in the southern zone, where 120,000 hectares are planted and 600,000 tons of corn come out, this year the 200,000 tons will not be reached.
In the area of Monteagudo and Muyupampa there is a damage of 70% of the production and in the south in Machareti 80% and in Tarija 40 to 60%. “The problem is the drought, rains were anticipated in October and in the southern zone it is sown in December and January, but on December 23 the rains stopped completely, only on February 3 did it rain again, but it was not enough,” he pointed out. .
It is harvested from the grain and the residue or bagasse is used as food for livestock in winter, but now there will be a fodder deficit.
“The national demand is 1.3 million tons, but the contribution in recent years has been decreasing and now much more with the drought. We had a natural deficit of 300,000 tons, but we are going to have a deficit of 600,000 tons,” he said. That is why this year there is a lower supply of corn in the market and Emapa will not be able to sustain the demand.
He added that it is necessary to import the grain, but the costs in Argentina rose to 325 dollars per ton. In this way, the cost for the producer would reach 120 bolivianos per quintal. “Almost 100% of the corn in Argentina is genetically improved, but the market cannot be left unsupplied,” Moreno said.
