Coffee yields fell 25% in Colombia
Rainfall accelerates germination of winter crops in the northwest, but dry and hot weather in the central region causes fast drying of soybeans and corn, in addition to a moisture decrease in the surface layer of the soil. Regions of La Pampa, Córdoba and Buenos Aires recorded less than 10 mm of rain in the last week of April. (USDA)
Bolivia had the lowest food inflation in Latin America during 2022, with an inflation of 2.2%, followed by Panama (5%) and Ecuador (7.1%). Countries with the highest inflation were Venezuela (110.4%) and Argentina (86.6%). (FAO)
Disbursements for the 2022/23 Harvest Plan reached US$ 58.74 billion from July 2022 to April 2023. Financing for costing reached US$ 34.73 billion. Investment line contracts exceeded US$ 15.78 billion. 1,591,366 contracts were signed in ten months. (Secretary of Agricultural Policy)
From 2013 to 2022, losses to agricultural production caused by drought or excessive rainfall reached US$ 58.05 billion. In 2022, farmers and ranchers lost US$ 17.19 billion, an increase of 90% compared to 2021. Drought generated the most losses in the farms, corresponding to 87% of the total. Northeast and South regions lead the losses, with 36% and 33% of the total, respectively. 14,635 decrees of emergency situation or public calamity were recorded in Brazilian cities in the last decade. (Integrated Information System on Disasters)
Goiás Agricultural Defense Agency intensified inspections to prevent the quarantine pest Amaranthus palmeri from reaching the State of Goiás. Weed was detected in farms in the States of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, and there is a high possibility of it being introduced in Goiás, mainly through the transit of farming equipment. (Agrodefesa)
Since January, Brazil was authorized to export agricultural products to 18 new markets. “For 20 years, Brazil has wanted to open the beef market to Mexico. In the case of pork, the Mexican market corresponds to more than 1 million tonnes. We also expanded exports to China and we are working to open markets in the EU”, said the Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro. (Ministry of Agriculture)
Frigorífico Minerva recorded net income of US$ 23.06 million in the 1Q 2023, down 0.5% compared to 2022. Net revenue fell 11.7%, reaching US$ 1.29 billion, while total slaughter was reduced by 4.3%. Period was impacted by the temporary suspension of beef exports to China. (Minerva Foods)
Almost 90% of the kiwi fruit area has been harvested. Fruits present quality above average, with 10% increase in dry matter, related to sweeter fruits. Exports reached 22,707 thousand tonnes. (Chilean Kiwi Committee)
Announced reopening of poultry exports to the US, Mexico and Hong Kong, that had been suspended because of avian flu cases. No cases of the disease were recorded in the past 50 days. (Ministry of Agriculture)
Coffee yields fell 25% in April and exports fell by 15%. Since 2022, the country has been through drops in production because of excessive rainfall. “The reduction in the harvest is explained by the increase in rainfall in the coffee farming region, after three years of the La Niña phenomenon, to which are added lower levels of fertilization because of the high prices of this input”, according to the National Federation of Coffee Farmers. (FNC)
First export of chicken meat to the Bahamas, totaling 28 tonnes. This shipment takes place amid the health emergency declared in November 2022 because of cases of avian flu, that caused the death of 1.2 million birds. First stage of vaccination is being carried out in the country. In addition to poultry products, in April the country exported pork for the first time to Ivory Coast, totalling 22.5 tonnes. (Conave; Ministry of Agriculture)
Blueberry sector promotes improvement of varieties to face lack of labor work in the farms. This is considered the main issue in the business. According to the general director of the National Association of Berry Exporters, Juan José Flores, the sector is developing varieties that are easier to harvest and shortening production cycles to optimize the use of labor work. (Aneberries)
In the 1Q of 2023, the country exported more than 1.96 million tonnes of soybean products, a volume 44% higher than in 2022. (Paraguayan Chamber of Oilseeds and Cereals Processors)
Detected Diaphorina citri, main vector of the bacterial disease huanglongbing, or greening, in citrus crops in the region of Tumbes and Piura. According to the National Agrarian University La Molina, if the disease establishes itself in the country, losses in the citrus sector could reach 80% by 2040. According to researchers, losses can be controlled by adopting a national program for prevention, control and monitoring. (UNALM)
Delegation led by the minister of agriculture, Fernando Mattos, is making an official visit to China to promote agreements for export of agricultural products. (Ministry of Agriculture)
Resistant fungus Fusarium oxysporum, that causes wilting in banana trees, could worsen the food crisis in the country, where 6.5 million people already suffer from hunger. Fungus was detected in the regions of Aragua, Carabobo and Cojedes. Fusarium was detected in Colombia three years ago, and in Peru in 2022. (FAO; Association of Agricultural Engineers of Venezuela)
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