Drought Savages Crops, Cattle in Argentina, Mexico

Devastating drought in both Argentina and Mexico is wiping out vital crops and cattle in both countries, augering price increases and hunger, and in Argentina's case, major shortages in the world supply of corn and soy.

Argentina is the second-largest corn exporter in the world, after the U.S., providing nearly 20% of the world's traded corn, and almost half the world's soymeal. Argentina is also the "winter production" area of choice for the corn seed supply for the U.S., which is now in jeopardy of serious shortfall.

Attributed to the La Nina current, drought has already done what analysts warn is "irreversible damage" to Argentina's corn crop, whose key developmental stage was severely affected because it is planted earlier in the season. Although it's estimated that the corn harvest will be in the range of 24 mn. metric tons ? at least five to seven million tons below what it should be ? the crop could be wiped out altogether, if there is no rain in the next 20 days. Cattle are also dying in several of the most important cattle-raising regions, and producers are distributing pictures of the devastation.

Benchmark Chicago corn and soybean prices have shot up by more than 10% in the last three weeks, due to damage to corn and soy crops across the fertile Pampa region.

In Mexico, the worst drought in 70 years has already caused the loss of 2.2 million acres of crops and 1.7 million animals, the latter due to lack of both water and forage. Normal rainfall is 21 inches per year, but only 12 in. fell in 2011. The Calderon government has been sending water trucks and tankers into the 19 most severely-affected areas, but a complication of this method ? as opposed to having the necessary infrastructure ? is that the water often becomes a breeding ground for disease. Had NAWAPA been undertaken when it was proposed, the crucial agricultural region of northern Mexico wouldn't be in such dire straits. Not only is there no near-term relief in sight, but more losses are anticipated as the winter season brings damaging frosts with it.

Various British-loving media lament that crop destruction and food shortages will mean that millions of Mexicans will try to emigrate to the U.S. in coming years.

Source: http://larouchepac.com/node/21081

day light savings time curmudgeon daylight savings time 2011 selena daylight savings bobolink bobolink