More than 100 hectares of export banana crops in the municipality of Chimoré, in the department of Cochabamba, were knocked down by hurricane-force winds accompanied by torrential rain.
"In my community alone there are more than 100 hectares of export bananas lying on the ground because of these hurricane-force winds," stated Tito Gonzáles, the general secretary of the Senda B Nueva Canaán Union of the municipality of Chimoré.
According to the leader, it's been 10 to 15 years since the last time that they were affected by this weather event that affected bananas, pineapples, papaya, and other crops.
"We are very worried and distressed by this weather event that affected Chimoré. "First, we were unable to export bananas because of the blockades, and now because of the hurricane winds," Gonzáles stated.
The blockades have prevented producers from exporting 120 trucks of bananas a day (each one equivalent to $15,000) to Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.
Source: la-razon.com