Fires in Corrientes: the provincial government declared a state of agricultural disaster

The fire reached 335 thousand hectares. From the administration in charge of Gustavo Valdés, technical and financial assistance was announced for the affected rural producers

The Government of Corrientes declared a state of emergency and/or agricultural disaster as a result of the fires that plague the province and have already affected 335,000 hectares. Assistance measures for rural producers are expected.

The drought and the fire caused millionaire losses for cattle ranching, rice paddies about to be harvested, forestry establishments, and farms dedicated to the production of citrus fruits, yerba mate, and tea. Faced with this panorama, from the Corrientes government, in charge of Gustavo Valdés , they denounced the lack of collaboration on the part of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation , led by Juan Cabandié ; and during the afternoon of this Monday the provincial president signed Decree 200/22 by means of which the“State of Emergency and/or Agricultural Disaster for a term of 6 months from January 1, 2022″.

The measure applies “throughout the provincial territory due to the rural fires that have occurred in recent months, which entail high production and economic losses,” reported the Government of Corrientes.

According to a report from the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) , the fires reached 335 thousand hectares, of which: 193,459 correspond to grasslands and weeds; 77,177 to marshes and wetlands and 16,277 hectares to native forests . The provincial authorities validated the document and arranged“technical and financial assistance from the Ministry of Production”.

Indeed, it was reported that Corrientes “It will grant the affected producers who prove their condition with the presentation of the agricultural emergency certificate, benefits such as the extension of tax expirations and provincial credits.” In the next few days, “the productive portfolio team will begin receiving the sworn statements from the producers affected by the drought and the fires.”

Claudio Anselmo , Minister of Production of the province, was the one who raised his voice against the lack of speed of the Ministry of the Environment of the Nation: “On January 13, I held a meeting with the Chief of Staff of her ministry, María Soledad Cantero , since the minister (Cabandié) could not attend due to having Covid: there we requested collaboration, four hydrant planes, a lookout plane and equipment for firefighters. They never formally answered us and only told us that there were no resources.”

Faced with this scenario, he stated that “ the province made the decision to hire three hydrant planes that operate from different bases with its own funds. There was a national hydrant plane for all of Mesopotamia, and since December 2021 it has made eight interventions at the request of the province . ” The complaint by the Valdés official generated a counterpoint with the Nation. From Environment they denied the accusations and pointed out that “Corrientes rejected the help” offered since January 23.

Through a statement, the portfolio led by Cabandié clarified that through the National Fire Management Service (SNMF) the first hydrant plane was sent before the formal request was made by the provincial government, which was not made official. until Saturday, February 5 . It was also reported that brigade members were not requested. The official document, on the other hand, indicates that there are currently four hydrant planes provided by the Nation, which are working in the towns of Ituzaingó, Curuzú Cuatiá and in the vicinity of the Iberá National Park. In addition, this Monday they announced the dispatch of another 30 brigade members who will join the eight from the National Parks Administration who already work in the area.

“For 45 days, Corrientes has been experiencing a drought of unusual intensity, which generated fires and affected the production chains linked to livestock, forestry, rice, cereals, citrus, yerba mate, and tea, among others. The province is committed to working together with the Nation”, Anselmo had stated, who announced that they will seek to speed up the promotion of a line of subsidized credits for affected producers through the Banco de Corrientes for an amount of 200 million pesos.

The lack of reaction of the National Government generated the claim of the rural producers. Ernesto Peluffo, a former combatant in Malvinas, owner of 900 hectares that are affected today, stated in dialogue with Infobae : “We are helpless and left to our own fate . We producers self-manage and receive the solidarity of the population and the enormous work of the Volunteer Firefighters.” “The national State is only a partner to collect taxes, take out withholdings, and other charges, because it has enormous fiscal voracity, but it is not a partner in climate disasters like we are facing right now,” he protested.

Last week, the Liaison Table issued a statement in which they pointed out that “producers are going through a catastrophic situation, facing, together with other peers, firefighters and social volunteers, and insufficient state support. It is not enough with emergency declarations” . In the document they demanded financial and tax support that aims to regenerate the social, productive and economic fabric of the different affected provinces.