This was reported by Agriculture Minister Mario Aldana, who added that over 12.000 hectares have been damaged in 16 out of the 22 departments of Guatemala.
"According to the Geology, Meteorology and Hydrology Ministry, known as Insivumeh, climate change will negatively impact agricultural production in 2009", said newspaper La Prensa Gráfica.
Source: laprensagrafica.com
More on this topic
November 2009
The Agriculture Ministry reported that recent droughts could have affected 30% of the second harvest of the year.
Ariel Bucardo Rocha, Agriculture Minister, reported that 37 municipalities of the country were severely affected.
Laprensa.com.ni published further comments by the minister: "We believe that in the hardest hit municipalities, production will fall, because some farmers did not seed, or because there was a lack of water. The 30% figure is preliminary...".
September 2010
The Ministry of Agriculture forecasts $3.2 million worth of losses, mainly in crops of white corn.
The heavy rains that have been falling since 28 August have flattened 4,852 hectares of corn, which represents a loss of $2.6 million.
The Minister for Agriculture, Juan Alfonso De León, explained that while around 300,000 hundred weight of grain will no longer enter the market due to the rain, production is still expected to exceed 29 million sacks in the current harvest, according to Prensalibre.com. "We do not expect to have to resort to an import contingency plan," he said.
October 2011
After heavy rainfall, about 742,500 quintals of beans are reported to be endangered.
The moisture caused by rainfall has generated a fungus attack in 40% of the cultivated area, said Oscar Albanian, director of the Agricultural Suppliers Association (APA).
An article in Elmundo.com.sv quoted the senior executive as saying, "Before this rainfall, between 30 and 35% of beans (in the cultivated area) were damaged by fungi (...) now it is 40% that is at serious risk of being lost. "
April 2010
Rice, sugar cane and corn have been the most affected by droughts caused by weather phenomena “El Niño”.
1.200 hectares of rice were lost and 5.000 sugar cane hectares were damaged in the province of Guanacaste.
According to a preliminary report, more damage was registered in that region: “2.000 hectares of corn, 122 hectares of watermelon, and minor areas of chili, tomatoes, beans and papaya.
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