Bolivia: El Niño causes 47,000 tonne deficit in potato harvest
This year, the Bolivian Government expects a 47,039 tonne deficit in the potato harvest due to the rains and droughts caused by El Niño, which will reduce the production volume by 66,550 tonnes.
The Government will guarantee the supply of the product by increasing imports and boosting the production.
According to projections from the Ministry of Rural Development and Land, domestic demand for potatoes will amount to 1,021,035 tonnes this season, while the available supply will only reach 973,996 tonnes, taking into account the production of 941,996 tonnes, the export of 30 tonnes and the import of 32,000 tonnes.
The Ministry stated that domestic production has initially been estimated at 1,008,546 tonnes, but that El Niño has reduced it by 66,550 tonnes due to the heat waves and heavy rains that accompany the phenomenon. In 2016, it will also have been one of the four strongest recorded in the last 65 years.
The Minister of Rural Development and Land, César Cocarico, guaranteed that there will be no shortages and said the Government has "sufficient capacity" to deal with the deficit by appealing to the National Potato Program (PNP).
"Imports will increase a little and we will prioritise the implementation of the National Potato Program from April to August. Production will increase and so we will offset the deficit. 47,000 tonnes can be easily obtained through imports, but we want to promote the domestic production," said Cocarico..
Fuente: http://www.freshplaza.com/article/153377/Bolivia-El-Ni%C3%B1o-causes-47,000-tonne-deficit-in-potato-harvest
