Montevideo [Uruguay], August 26:Uruguay remains under an agricultural emergency despite the end of the water emergency after rains strengthened freshwater reserves, a Uruguayan official confirmed on Friday.
"The water emergency refers only to the measures for drinking water and consumption in the metropolitan area (Montevideo). It does not change anything for the agricultural aspect," said Fernando Mattos, minister of livestock, agriculture and fisheries.
The agricultural emergency is in force until Sept. 23 and climate projections will be analyzed then to decide whether it should be extended, said Mattos.
"We are in a better situation than a few months ago, but there are still regions of the country with a structural issue of lack of water," the official said.
In October 2022, the ministry declared an agricultural emergency due to a nationwide shortage of rain for the first time in years.
According to the latest estimate by the ministry, the water deficit has caused losses in the productive sector of 1.8 billion U.S. dollars.
Source: Xinhua