The drought and high temperatures affected a large part of the production in the provincial territory. In order to alleviate its negative consequences, the government of Santa Fe, through the Ministry of Production, and in coordination with different institutions in the sector, continues to provide accompaniment to the affected agricultural sector. The departments 9 de Julio and Vera were among the regions most damaged by its effects, which especially impacted livestock production.
Within this framework, the province arranged resources for $145 million for hauling water and cleaning dams, $106 million in zero-rate loans, $49.6 million in non-refundable contributions, and $60 million for the purchase of water tanks.
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The Minister of Production, Science and Technology, Daniel Costamagna, explained: “This assistance is part of one of the many actions that the Government of Santa Fe, at the instruction of Governor Omar Perotti, carried out and will continue to carry out. to accompany the producers affected by the drought and high temperatures that impacted the provision of pasture and the supply of water in these departments”.
“It should be mentioned that this accompaniment is complementary to the benefits granted by the Agricultural Emergency Law and consists of deliveries of food, non-refundable contributions for cleaning dams and hauling water, interest-free loans, delivery of cisterns to communes and municipalities, with the aim of dealing with the losses that small and medium producers are going through,” added the minister.
Water and dam cleaning
In coordination with the 9 de Julio Development Association and the Rural Society of Vera, more than 1,000 small and medium-sized livestock producers were assisted, for a total amount of 145 million pesos. This assistance reached 20% of the cattle stock of both departments (more than 250,000 head of cattle). The hauling of water involved the transport of approximately 55 million liters of water and more than 1,000 trips by tanker trucks to assist producers with up to 400 head of cattle. In relation to the cleaning of dams, more than 200 were conditioned with the aim of improving the storage and provision of water for the animals.
Regarding financial assistance, they were granted more than $106 million in zero-rate loans, with up to a year of grace to more than 200 cattle producers of up to 300 total heads. This line of financial assistance was executed through the development associations in which revolving funds will be established, and was destined to the purchase of food, inputs and services for the implantation of pastures, payment of services for the provision of water and dam cleaning, and improvements in water supply.
However, given that the impact of the drought in the region has not been overcome, in the coming days this assistance will continue to be reinforced through the delivery of new credits for a total amount of $36 million, which will benefit more than 100 livestock producers.
Non-refundable contributions
In the case of non-refundable contributions, more than 500 subsidies to small livestock producers affected by the drought for a total amount of $49.6 million pesos. The contributions were destined for the acquisition of food and provision of water.
Up to now, more than 550 producers from the Vera and 9 de Julio Departments have submitted their affidavits of damages to access the benefits of the agricultural emergency declared due to the drought, which has a registration deadline of April 14. .
It is worth mentioning that, thanks to the efforts made by the Ministry of Production, Science and Technology before the Afip, the agency will admit that producers can receive economic benefits with the sole presentation of the affidavit, therefore, producers must present the certificates to the agency as soon as they receive them.
Within the framework of financial assistance for agricultural emergencies for agricultural, livestock and mixed activities throughout the territory of Santa Fe, the Ministry of Production, Science and Technology continues to allocate resources to agencies and associations for the development of the province. These institutions channel said funds from credits for producers; These are loans of up to $400,000, without interest, with a grace period of up to one year, and are intended to restore part of the affected working capital. In this sense, in the last three weeks, the productive portfolio transferred more than 236 million pesos that will result in aid for small and medium-sized producers.
