This Thursday on the Platform program, economist Rafael Lemus remarked that in El Salvador poverty is rising and agricultural production is declining, which could jeopardize access to basic grains.
“Poverty in El Salvador is rising, both relative and extreme, families are trying to earn income and have the daily food basket”Lemus stated.
He explained that extreme poverty is critical and has been growing in the country from 4% to 8%, exceeding half a million people who are in extreme poverty.
Lemus reported that the 2023 projection is lower than the harvests from 2021 and 2022, for example, in the case of corn, in 2021 21 million quintals were produced; 2022, 15 million quintals, and 2023, 14 million quintals.
As for beans in 2021, 2,654,610 million quintals were produced; 2022, 2,091,345 million quintals, and in 2023, 2 million quintals.
“The news of food crises have been going around the region and the country for months, hopefully the Government has a plan and measures to implement”considered the economist.
Finally, Lemus expressed that the Government plays an important role and that there are crops where they can support producers with seed and fertilizer programs.