Uruguay Estimates Millions in Loss for Temporary Drought

Montevideo, Dec 18. -A temporary drought would cause loses higher than 1 billion dollars to Uruguay's productive sector, according to the Office of Agricultural Planning and Policy from the Ministry of Livestock .

The office estimated for the livestock sector, which has a vital importance in this country, damage amounting to 342 million dollars and overall potential effect of 1.26 billion dollars on all productive activities.

In a special report released Thursday the Office took the last dry season suffered by Uruguay between 2008 and early 2009 as reference, and calculated as another negative effect unemployment for 8,000 people.

Experts believe that a prolonged drought would determine a significant drop in the number of calves in the spring of 2011, with a loss of 25 percent of artificial pastures and about 200,000 hectares of forage improvements.

The office said in its submission that the Ministry will carry out actions to implement hedges in livestock due to heavy losses as a result of the weather.

The government is considering a package of measures in this situation of few rain but the Ministry said, "there is not no magic solutions, we seek palliative and facilitate processes".

Experts said that the consequences of water shortages are not addressed because it rained because the lack of growth in October and November affects pasture production. (Prensa Latina)