Drought wreaks havoc in Mexico

MEXICO CITY - More than three million farmers are reeling under drought in Mexico this year due to the El Nino weather phenomenon, officials said.

The National Water Commission said some 3.5 million farmers are reeling under drought.

The commission said there is very little water at the 800 large reservoirs in the country.

Some 50,000 cattle head have already died due to lack of water and if the drought persists there is a danger of losing seven million hectares of crops, it noted.

The warm Pacific waters associated with the El Nino phenomenon could also bring hurricanes in the country, said Felipe Arreguin, deputy director, of the commission.

“Despite the destructive force of the hurricanes, Mexico can’t live without them. The country would be nothing but desert,” Arreguin said.

The National Peasant Farmers Confederation said Mexico is reeling under worst drought since past 70 years. The lack of rainfall could result in the loss of seven million hectares of crops, including corn and beans.

Agriculture secretary Alberto Cardenas said the government will earmark some 900 million pesos ($69 million) to cover insurance payouts for 6.6 million hectares of cultivated land and 4.1 million animals.

The government plans to combat the drought with different measures, including shifting production to less-water-intensive crops, practices to conserve humidity, among others, he said.

The worst affected drought hit regions include the central and central-eastern states of Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosi, Veracruz, Tamaulipas and Hidalgo, Cardenas said.

–EFE