These are the products and the areas most affected by the weather in recent hours
Commercial corn producers report preliminary losses that add up to around Q17.5 million due to the damage to almost 1,000 manzanas, caused by the rains and the overflow of rivers in the areas along the banks of the Chixoy and Xalbal rivers, in Ixcán, Quiché, and on the South Coast, mainly in Retalhuleu and Suchitepéquez.
Gustavo Rivas, president of the National Association of Basic Grains (Anagrab) reported that in Ixcán losses of some 300 manzanas of commercial corn that were about to enter the harvest phase have been preliminarily recorded.
On the South Coast side, several municipalities of Retalhuleu, through which the Samalá River passes, register the loss of at least 300 more manzanas, while in the Suchitepéquez region, the rains and river overflows caused the loss of another 200 manzanas. of cultivation.
“These are preliminary data that still do not include the damage recorded in other corn-growing areas such as Petén and the east. We would be talking about the loss of about 90,000 quintals of corn, which could be valued at about Q17,550 million,” Rivas indicated.
For his part, Roberto Wong, general manager of the Guatemalan Rice Association (Arrozgua), indicated that as of September 26 they register the flooding of crops in the Polochic river basin, in the Panzós area, also in Agua Blanca, Jutiapa, and in Nueva Concepción and Tiquisate, Escuintla. It is estimated that some 2,500 manzanas are affected in these three areas, representing a production of 150,000 quintals of rice at risk.
affected areas
The Center for Strategic Agricultural Information (CIEA), of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA), provided Prensa Libre with a preliminary report on the area of crops affected by excessive rainfall. According to the report, from May 1 to September 27,n 19 thousand 71.33 hectares (about 27 thousand 28.46 manzanas) of crop area with some degree of affectation, at the national level.
Although the CIEA reports affected crops in the 21 departments, the six municipalities with the highest incidence are Alta Verapaz, with some 8,172 manzanas; Izabal, with 4,447; Santa Rosa, with 3 thousand 194; Chiquimula, with 2 thousand 317; Zacapa, with 1,577, and Retalhuleu, with 1,234 manzanas.
Among the crops that have been affected, according to MAGA, corn, beans, rice, coffee, bananas, cardamom, as well as lemon, avocado, cauliflower, loroco, güisquil, tobacco, maicillo, chili, okra stand out. It also records papaya, potato, eggplant, fruit trees, bananas, cabbage, peanuts, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, snow peas, cocoa, radishes, strawberries, coriander, beets, lettuce, chard and grasses.
