December 26, 2012

Bolivia's 2012 agricultural production increased 22% on-year.

The Bolivian Institute of Foreign Trade (IBCE) said on Monday (Dec 24) that sugarcane led the list of produce, with a total of more than 6.4 million tonnes, followed by soy, corn, rice, sorghum, sesame, cotton seeds, and cotton fibre.

The total area of land cultivated during the 2012 summer season surpassed last year's figure by 18%.

Lucio Tito, general director of Bolivia's National Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Innovation, declared 62 of the 337 municipalities "winners" for their surplus in agricultural production.

"If we want to guarantee food security in our country, we have to stimulate the municipalities to continue producing and to set an example for others," he said

Bolivia's Deputy Minister of Rural and Agriculture Development Victor Hugo Vasquez recently predicted Bolivia will achieve food self-sufficiency in 10 years.

Winter season agricultural production, which began in recent weeks and ends next year, is projected to produce 1.7 million tonnes of crops.