Protests cause chicken and egg shortage on Colombian market

The shortage of chicken and eggs ranged between 20% and 40% in different regions of the South American nation in the beginning of May. Protests took off near the end of April when president Duque proposed tributary reform and have left dozens dead and hundreds wounded. The events mark the third major uprising against the president since he came into power in August of 2018. Although the president has since withdrawn the planned reform and the finance minister has resigned, post-conflict unrest seems to persist in Colombia. In addition to the challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, the country faces unemployment rates of 16.8% and poverty rates of 42.5% across its entire population. During the most recent protests, demonstrators blocked crucial roads for Colombian logistics, also affecting the poultry sector. The situation was worst in Cali and Valle del Cauca, where distribution by roads and airways was blocked for days. “Production heavily depends on these cities and the ...