The egg, chicken and coffee, the most affected by road blocks

Although the country is presenting difficulties after the road blockseither in Rosas, Cauca, which keeps this department incommunicado with Nariño, now there are multiple closures on different roads Colombiasuch as Santander, which are affecting the different commercial and agricultural sectors in the country.

(See: ‘Transporters are the most vulnerable in road closures’).

After four days of demonstrations and blockades on the path of the sunin the sector of Lizama in Santanderthe leaders of the protests and a government delegation reached an agreement to lift the blockade.

However, these situations could leave lags and affectations for the agricultural sectors in the country, such as the lines of the egg, chicken and coffee.

(See: The Nestlé company announces mega investment and more production of Milo).

According to Gonzalo Moreno, executive president of Fenavi, the blockades affect this sector, taking into account that in the department of Santanderr covers 23% of the national egg production and the 25% of the national chicken production.

For the union leader “In total there are 54 million birds that the department has, which must be fed daily in 1,186 farms that are located throughout the entire region”.

(See: The IDB recipe to achieve a productive transformation in the country).

Dark explained that the affectations would occur especially because the production poultry of Santander It covers from La Guajira to the Amazon from east to west. Likewise, he clarified that this department is clearly an exporter, “That is to say, of the total production, 35% stays in Santander”he stated.

It should be noted that 65% of production remaining, is the one that covers the food needs of the Colombians.

(See: The risks for the dairy sector due to the blockade on the Pan-American highway).

It should be noted that in a survey carried out by the Andi section of Santander to affiliated companies, it indicates that more than 2,746 tons of products, raw materials and inputs have been dammed in the blockades throughout the territory, affecting economic sectors such as: agro-industrial, metal-mechanic, manufacturing automotive, fuels and biofuels and environmental services and energy; which they estimate in an approximate value of $5,545 million in detained merchandise.

On the other hand, Juan Felipe Montoya, president of Incubadora Santander SA Kikes Eggstold Portafolio that these blockades represent a risk in the access of food for birds that are on farms in the department of Santander.

Just like it limits the output of the finished product, as in the case of eggs.

“If this continues, the risk is the death of the animals with the serious consequences that this brings for jobs and companies. This obviously brings a shortage of the product and therefore an increase in prices”, indicated the president of Huevos Kikes.

After the closures on the roads by communities especially in Magdalena Medio and Córdoba, the sector of the coffee He also presented his concern regarding the departure of the grain to the ports of shipment.

According to Gustavo Gomez, President of the National Association of Colombian Coffee Exporters (Asoexport)the exit of the product is being completely blocked, especially that of the coast Caribbeanwhich represents almost 40% of the country’s grain exports.

For Gómez, without an agile solution it is possible that the purchases of coffeewhich would affect the ‘good name’ of Colombian grain and the income of producing families. “This was the same thing we experienced in the previous national strike,” stated the president of asoexport.

The main risk lies with the breach of the contracts “bearing in mind that the premium for our coffee is paid for quality and compliance. It’s something we have to take care of.” Gomez assured.

Finally, the president of Asoexport indicated that the Government is already in talks, but that they hope that these blockades can be solved and do not become “something recurring”.

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