The Ministry of Economy and Energy of Mendoza, through the Undersecretary of Agriculture and Livestock, continues to assess the damage caused by the late frosts recorded in recent days in productive areas, after decreeing the state of emergency or agricultural disaster. The consequences cover not only the province of Mendoza, but also San Juan and Río Negro.
The Undersecretary of Agriculture and Livestock of Mendoza, Sergio Moralejo, told the press that the affected production would be “10,000 hectares of vineyards and 10,000 of fruit trees”.
“That is what we know for now, because the survey will end with the receipt of complaints and with the audits carried out by Climate Contingencies,” the official said.
“These are not minor damages, since the low temperatures generated irreparable consequences in many crops in the North, East, Center and South oases. It is not only the fruit that was damaged, but also the rest of the plant cells can suffer long-term sequelae,” Moralejo warned.
“We have witnessed a really late frost of unusual dimensions. This situation has not only affected the provincial territory but has been a phenomenon at the national level,” he added.
“When we have between 50 and 79% losses, it is called an agricultural emergency; and when they go from 80 to 100% we talk about a 'disaster'. Right now, in Mendoza, we have several disaster areas,” Moralejo concluded.
For his part, provincial senator Bartolomé Robles (FPV-PJ) presented a draft resolution in the upper house that “is intended to require the Ministry of Economy and Energy of the Province, as well as the National Government, to declare the emergency situation and/or agricultural disaster in areas that have suffered more than 50% damage to their production, due to partial late frosts“.
Bodegas de Argentina issued a statement in light of the recent frosts that hit different wine oases in which it expresses the concern of producers and wineries regarding the level of losses and requests the national state, provincial and municipal states the economic support that such an extreme situation deserves.”
In this sense, they explained that “losses in production that in some cases become total, must be covered by the crisis mechanisms provided for these situations, accessible credits, reduction or suspension of taxes, fees, contributions and contributions that are usually provided by those who produce grapes and wines, elimination of agreements and laws that were dictated with the sole objective of controlling a stock and a production that this time will be dominated by scarcity.”