Cuatro Cañadas: Producers and transporters demand fuel supply amid harvest

Producers and transporters in Cuatro Cañadas, a key agricultural region in Bolivia, are expressing deep concern over a severe diesel shortage. They are urgently demanding that YPFB, the state oil company, increase fuel allocations to the area.

The scarcity of diesel is critically impacting the ongoing winter harvest of wheat, sorghum, and sunflower. The timely removal of harvested crops, known locally as 'bambuchas,' is being delayed, putting the entire harvest at risk. This situation threatens substantial economic losses for the sector, which is vital to the country's agricultural output.

Adding to the farmers' woes, adverse weather conditions, including strong winds, are causing premature shedding of wheat grains, further exacerbating losses. Additionally, flocks of birds, such as parrots, are damaging the unharvested crops that remain in the fields.

Local authorities, including Mayor Johan Bergen, have stated they are pursuing all necessary avenues to secure an adequate fuel supply from the government. They emphasize that Cuatro Cañadas is a major producer of soybeans and wheat, and the lack of diesel is jeopardizing the current harvest campaign. Despite previous requests to the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and YPFB, producers report receiving no concrete response regarding increased fuel quotas for the region.

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We need diesel urgently to avoid greater losses in this harvest campaign.