Chile declares state of agricultural emergency due to drought

Faced with a long-term drought hitting much of Chile, the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture has decreed an agricultural emergency zone in the regions of Coquimbo, Valparaíso, O’Higgins and Maule, which are particularly important for the agricultural industry.

Minister María Emilia Undurraga said: “Today we are going to give an account of the measures that we have been adopting as a ministry and as a government in the context of the drought that we have experienced in the last 13 years, a very deep drought that affects us in the central area of our country and as a result of the information and background we have received, we are going to declare an agricultural emergency due to water deficit in the regions of Coquimbo, Valparaíso, O’Higgins and Maule.”

The announcement is accompanied by an emergency fund for a total of US$10 million. The funds will be complemented with resources from the Regional Governments and with other measures to be announced in the coming days.