As a result of these natural phenomena, a possible increase in the price of meat has been warned, said the Minister of Agriculture of that country, Danilo Palacios.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock now has the figures on the damage caused by the drought and forest fires in Ecuador.
He also warned of a possible rise in prices, especially for meat, although he said he would be monitoring the situation through control operations.
Danilo Palacios, head of the State portfolio, indicated that in the agricultural sector the drought has partially affected 8,200 hectares, in the livestock sector 16,700 animals have been affected, ten animals have died and around 27,000 hectares have been lost in the agricultural sector.
The damage caused by the fires is estimated at around 15,000 dead animals and approximately 6,000 hectares of arable land damaged, with the provinces of Galapagos and Loja being the hardest hit.
The fires have mostly been caused by natural causes, that is, by the high temperatures that have been recorded, the minister said on Wednesday, September 25, on Así amaneció on Radio City.
Given the impact, mainly in the livestock sector due to problems in the pastures, Palacios believes that there will be an increase in the price of meat due to the supply and demand of this product. To avoid price speculation, he indicated that together with local authorities they will carry out control operations. “We will be monitoring so that this effect is not pronounced, but I think there will be a slight increase in the price of products, such as meat, for example,” he said.
He also pointed out that there is a threat of an increase in the price of eggs due to the increase in the cost of corn caused by the shortage, but that the ministry will be monitoring it.
To deal with the impact of climate change, the minister said that it is essential to change the use of water and, therefore, farmers are being trained. In addition, issues of soil conservation and the construction of reservoirs and embankments are being addressed. Together with BanEcuador, they are also creating a financial product to help producers.
