Argentina: 600,000 hectares flooded and a half million cattle at risk

About 600,000 hectares are flooded in the center of Buenos Aires province, the heart of agriculture and livestock from Argentina, and endanger the soybean crop and about half a million cattle producers in the region reported.

Argentina, one of the largest worldwide suppliers of food and the third largest exporter of soybeans, was already suffering a decline of 19% of soybean production this year because of drought caused by La Niña climate phenomenon. "Floods começarsam two weeks ago. The first night it rained in some areas up to 200 mm and where is my property, almost five months since it rained the annual average of 850 millimeters, "said the leader of the Rural Society (SRA) Bolivar (300 kilometers southwest of Buenos Aires ), Peter Bignau.

The department of Bolivar has about 500,000 hectares, of which 200,000 hectares are cultivated, especially soybeans. Moreover, the region, which is located in the middle Humid Pampa, has 350,000 to 400,000 head of cattle, the second branch of SARS.

The flooded area, which includes the rich agricultural districts of Pehuajó, Carlos Casares, Carlos Tejedor and Henderson suffered a few months of a severe drought. The producer Fernando Alzueta comments that "so far in 2012, since the amount of rain all year and have fields with 80% to 90% of the affected area."

"If the rains do not stop in the next hour, the scenario may be the worst in decades," said Bignau. Producers of Buenos Aires face at the time of year harvesting thick, that is, soybeans, sorghum and maize. "About 40% of the soybean crop is pending and, although some fields are not flooded, the affectation is complete, because the roads are impassable and it is difficult to reach with machinery."

In Pehuajó, 350 kilometers southwest of Buenos Aires, the picture is similar, albeit with the particular characteristic of the region is also a producer of milk. "The situation is very complicated. Are affected more than 80% of the 450,000 hectares of the region, of which 30% is devoted to livestock, "said the leader of the local RAS, Albert Forster.

The affected farmers are complaining to the authorities of the exemption of taxes provincial, national and municipal governments in the affected region.

The report is from Agence France-Presse (AFP), translated and adapted by Team BeefPoint.