Of the 70,000 producers that make up the Chamber of Farmers of the East, 80% buy their fuel daily or weekly and do not have the resources to import directly.

The president of the Chamber of Agriculture of the East (CAO), José Luis Farah, denounced this Tuesday that the direct importation of fuel benefits mainly large businessmen and that only 20% of the country's producers would have access to that option.

The leader asked the Government to guarantee the timely supply of diesel for the production sector and thus guarantee agricultural campaigns.

Farah explained that the CAO brings together some 70,000 producers; however, 80% are small production units that buy their fuel on a daily or weekly basis and do not have sufficient resources to import directly.

"The decree favors a few companies or a few producers. What we need is timely diesel for all Bolivian producers; the more than 70,000 in Santa Cruz and throughout the country who need diesel at planting time, at harvest time," he said on local channel Unitel.

Farah also explained that these small production units produce food on surfaces no larger than 100 hectares.

“This producer needs diesel at his service station, in the nearest place to produce food. The Government must provide guarantees; it is YPFB that imports and that must have the timely diesel so that we can continue producing food,” he added.

Last week, the Government approved Supreme Decree 5218, which streamlines the procedures for private companies to directly import fuel for their use.

Currently, nine private companies, mainly from the mining and agricultural sectors, already directly import their fuel in an amount of 13.4 million liters per month.

Another 50 companies are completing the procedures to obtain authorization.

The law is part of the 17-point agreement between the government and private companies during the Dialogue on the Economy and Production in August.