Bolivia: Cattle farmers warn of meat shortage

Valor Agro Bolivia/ Walter Ruiz, president of the Federation of Cattle Ranchers of Santa Cruz, has raised the alarm about the economic situation in Bolivia, particularly in the agricultural sector. In a recent interview, Ruiz stressed that the current crisis is not a surprise to many economists, who were already warning of a slowdown in the national economy. “We are in the center of the storm as producers,” said Ruiz, making it clear that the challenges not only affect cattle ranchers, but also the population in general. The combination of inflation, fuel shortages and input costs has generated a panorama of uncertainty and concern. The increase in production costs, especially in the price of diesel and other inputs, has deeply affected producers. According to Ruiz, these costs have increased by more than 35%, affecting the ability of cattle ranchers to meet the demand for meat in the country. “The blockade has left the population short of meat, an essential product in the family ...