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Colombia rice sector agricultural crisis

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2026-10-06 18:22 UTC → 2026-10-07 20:41 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture, led by Indalecio Dangond, is addressing a financial and operational crisis within the rice sector. The situation began with a forensic review of parafiscal resources following reports that significant collections and import auction revenues failed to alleviate high costs and low productivity for growers. Producers, represented by the National Federation of Rice Growers (Fedearroz), have requested debt refinancing due to low harvest prices and climatic issues, such as flooding in the Casanare department. As Dangond assumes leadership, his administration has proposed stabilizing the sector through regulated planting cycles, modernized irrigation, and price protections in regions including Tolima, Huila, Meta, and Casanare. However, these policies have faced political criticism regarding his past involvement with state credits and his decision to replace the term ‘campesino’ with ‘agro-producer,’ which critics argue may marginalize the identity of rural workers. Recently, Dangond addressed controversy surrounding his remarks on rice cultivation, clarifying that his criticisms were directed at specific regional inefficiencies rather than the national industry. Speaking in Urumita, he suggested that rice may no longer be a “viable business” in La Guajira and Cesar due to high production costs and low yields. He noted that in areas like Fonseca, producers face consecutive losses despite irrigation access, arguing that if costs exceed 10 million pesos per hectare without reaching yields of 8 to 9 tons, the investment cannot be recovered. As an alternative for these specific conditions, the Minister recommended exploring other crops, such as cashew (marañón).

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