Fernando Mattos, Uruguay’s Minister of Livestock, has reported that recent rainfall has provided relief in some areas most affected by drought.
The minister is hopeful that the water deficit will be fully addressed by the upcoming spring season.
San José, Colonia, and Canelones, which have been particularly affected, have seen significant relief from the rainfall, uplifting the spirits of local producers.
Despite this positive shift, Mattos emphasized that replenishing the aquifers and surface reservoirs will require additional time and rain.
Forecasts currently suggest the possibility of increased rainfall in spring, potentially marking the end of the drought.
A reassessment of the situation will occur in September, just prior to the conclusion of the current agricultural emergency period.
The ongoing drought, the worst in Uruguay’s history since records began in the early 1900s, has greatly impacted the country’s agroindustrial sector which constitutes over 80% of its foreign sales.
The water deficit has also strained the fresh water reserves used for drinking water purification.
Recent rainfall has increased the volume of the Paso Severino reservoir, the country’s primary fresh water reserve, from 2.6 million to over 3 million cubic meters.
Despite this, the reservoir’s capacity remains at only a fraction of its total 70 million cubic meters.
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