Historic lowering of the Paraná River affects strawberry production in Argentina

According to specialists, the strawberry is one of the most consumed fruits in Argentina. However, this year its production would fall due to the historical decline of the Paraná River. From the National Institute of Agricultural Technology of Argentina they indicated that Coronda is one of the main strawberry production areas in the country. With more than 300 hectares planted, this town is the second national producer of the crop after Tucumán. 80% of the producers use the water from the Coronda River to irrigate strawberries. This river in normal conditions mixes waters of the Setúbal lagoon and the Salado river. However, in the current conditions of the historical low of the Paraná Basin, it takes its main flow from the Salado River. "As a consequence, its salinity increases and the quality of the water that producers use to irrigate the crop decreases," explained the entity. María del Huerto Sordo, specialist at INTA Monte Vera -Santa Fe told local media that "the strawberry ...