MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Emergency declared in Uruguay due to poor rainfalls

We have a much more accentuated deficit situation than last year, Mattos argued

Uruguay's Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, Fernando Mattos Thursday announced the Government had declared a national emergency due to poor rainfalls.

“If we make the comparative data of this same time of the year with the year 2021, we have a much more accentuated deficit situation and at a time that is quite complex because on the one hand spring is the season of great vegetative development, we also have a complex situation of crops, we are in the final stage of grain filling of winter crops and we are in a quite critical situation,” Mattos explained.

In light of these circumstances, the decision was taken after a meeting with the Agricultural Emergency Committee.

Mattos had warned earlier this week about the situation farmers were going through due to the lack of rainfall, which affected winter crops, pastures, and livestock feed.

The emergency allows for the release of funds “to assist small family producers or those producers of less than 500 hectares,” Mattos noted.

Uruguay's Lower House has also agreed unanimously to allow producers who have had difficulties due to the lack of water to have access to the Agricultural Emergency Fund.

Mattos also explained that “the agricultural emergency will be declared for agriculture, livestock and farming,” since all three areas of production have been hit by the unusual conditions.