PRESS ROOM
1/2/2024
The call is for us to generate coordination to monitor food prices and the risk of shortages: Minister Mojica
At the Unified Command Post for the agriculture sector, the head of the ministry provided reassurance regarding a potential shortage and price speculation due to the current weather phenomenon affecting the country.
Mosquera, Cundinamarca, (@MinAgricultura). – On Thursday, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Jhenifer Mojica, led the Unified Command Post (PMU) for the agricultural sector in response to the El Niño phenomenon, with departmental Agriculture secretaries. In this meeting, held at the Tibaitatá Research Center of Agrosavia, the minister presented the most updated report on the impacts on crops and animals due to the current climatic conditions in the country.
"We have an area of 17,000 hectares affected by water stress, frost, and fires, including pastures for livestock and crops. Therefore, this is a time to collaborate, and I ask for your help in leading this effort. Here we need to act quickly, and that is the instruction we have so that Colombian society does not worry about the food issue," said the minister.
The leader of the agricultural sector reminded that the country is in a positive scenario to face El Niño because the state of emergency was declared last Thursday by the Change Government, and on the same day, the PMU was established, allowing for early and coordinated work with agricultural producers.
The leader of the agricultural sector reminded that the country is in a positive scenario to face El Niño because the state of emergency was declared last Thursday by the Change Government, and on the same day, the PMU was established, allowing for early and coordinated work with agricultural producers.
"The call is for us to generate coordination between the Nation and the territories, at the departmental and municipal levels, not only to report impacts, damages, and losses but also to monitor the cost, food prices, to prevent speculation, and the risks of shortages. Today, I can tell Colombian society with confidence that there are no effects so far from the El Niño phenomenon on food prices. However, we are vigilant to react because we will not allow speculation," she emphasized.
Mojica pointed out that the damages are being reported daily by the departmental authorities to monitor and develop an action plan to mitigate those losses.
"It is also a moment to adopt preventive measures for fires and damages that correspond to each of the cultivators to approach the state institutions. We have offices of the National Fisheries Authority, the Rural Development Agency, Agrosavia, ICA, in the various departments and municipalities of our country. It is time to approach the Department of Agriculture in your municipality, in your department, and activate the response and investments that we have allocated," she concluded.
