Producers in Chile’s Coquimbo region say they are optimistic that agriculture minister Carlos Furche will heed their pleas for more government support for growers affected by the 10-year drought, which is estimated to have caused losses of US$1bn to the local fruit industry.
During a meeting last week between Furche and María Inés Figari of the Agricultural Society of the North (SAN) and Fedefruta, Figari called for the government to adopt a series of measures to relieve the crippling financial pressure faced by the region’s producers, including the suspension of taxes, a debt refinancing programme and the creation of a crisis fund in which the government will act as guarantor to the agricultural sector.
Asoex president Ronald Bown said without the support of the state it was impossible to find a solution to the crisis, which has affected small, medium and large growers throughout the region.
“The situation poses a grave danger to Coquimbo’s agricultural sector – especially its fruit industry – and requires immediate action, which is why we are calling on the agriculture minister to take immediate action to help local producers,” Bown said.
“Only 73,000ha of the region’s 120,000ha of agricultural land, of which 53,188ha are dedicated to fruit production, have access to irrigation. This means that almost 60 per cent is not being irrigated due to a lack of water, which leads to debts and unemployment.”
During last week’s meeting Furche heard how reservoir levels have fallen to 6 per cent, prompting growers to take drastic action to save crops, such as uprooting plants and severe pruning.
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