Colombia and Chile tally billions in livestock and crop losses from extreme rains and drought

The Colombian Livestock Federation (Fedegán) warned that the sector faces losses close to $12.86 billion after intense rains hit the Llanos Orientales, the Santander region and the south, while a prolonged drought has battered the Caribbean area. More than 3,100 cattle have died, about 266 000 animals were moved to better‑conditioned zones and over a million hectares of pasture are damaged. The hardest‑hit departments include Caquetá, Casanare, Sucre, Bolívar, Arauca, Santander and Norte de Santander. Fedegán has asked the national government for credit restructuring, tax relief and other support measures to help producers recover.

In Chile, a severe frontal system has produced extreme rainfall across the country, prompting the meteorological service to issue its highest alarm. According to Colliers’ agricultural manager Rodrigo Gil, "the total impact now exceeds US$200 million" and "the current damage could easily double" if heavy rain persists. The storm has devastated avocado and citrus orchards, damaged irrigation and power infrastructure, and harmed livestock in Illapel, while strong winds have stripped fruit from trees in the Coquimbo and Valparaíso regions.