Drought hits Uruguay's cattle
Date: 14-Jan-09
Country: URUGUAY
Author: Andres Camy
Reports say rainfall is at a three-decade low in some areas of the country.
Farmer Andres Camy, from the dairy-producing area of San Jose, says the situation is dire and will probably get even worse in the winter.
He worries about the number of animals that are already dead or dying.
The drought is hurting farmers at the same time as they also struggle with falling prices for key products due to the global economics lowdown.
The government has offered farmers cattle feed with deferred,interest-free payments, aid for pumping water and extra time to pay their electricity bills.
CATTLE FARMER ANDRES CAMY:
"There hasn't been anything like this since 1920. We haven't seen significant rainfall since April 2007, nothing to feed rivers and water tables."