Assembly will ask for the emergency for agriculture

Ecuadornews:

The Food Sovereignty Commission of the National Assembly received this Wednesday, September 12, agricultural representatives of several provinces of the country to know the factors that are producing the crisis in the agricultural sector.

During the meeting, legislators discussed the draft of a resolution to ask the Executive for an emergency declaration in the agricultural sector, affected by contraband, low prices, and intermediation, among others.

Bernardo Bravo, president of the Sectorial Citizen Council of Guayas, pointed out that at the beginning of the peak of the summer rice harvest, the National Storage Unit (UNA EP) has its warehouses full due to the lack of commercialization of the grass and there is no more space for product storage.

On the other hand, the leader questioned that, according to the calculation of the Ministry of Agriculture (MAG), the cost of producing a 200-pound rice sack is around $ 28, but that the farmers sell it at $ 22 and warned that if there is no immediate government intervention, the price could fall to $ 15.

“This means a loss of 40% of working capital.”Many farmers have taken out loans, they will not be able to honor their debts and they will go back into that vicious cycle of indebtedness and restructuring credits that do not allow them to get out of the crisis,” Bravo said.

Tito Simbaña, representative of Tungurahua province, pointed out that smuggling and low prices also affect products from the Sierra and that the Government has not had priority attention for this sector that generates thousands of jobs.

“Enough visits, tours, enough signatures of agreements, We need concrete actions, “said the small producer, who convened Agriculture Minister Xavier Lazo and UNA manager Rodrigo Solano for the session, but both authorities excused themselves at the last minute. (I)

Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/economia/4/sector-agricola-emergencia-ecuador-asamblea