The government of Argentina on Monday declared a 180-day “water
emergency” for the Parana River, which is suffering a historic bout
of shallowness that has affected the amount of grains that can be
shipped from the country’s key ports hub of Rosario.

The country is a major international food supplier. The Parana,
which originates in a drought-hit part of Brazil, carries about 80%
of Argentina’s agricultural shipments, which are the country’s main
source of export dollars.

The river is at its lowest level in 77 years. The state of
emergency, which will take effect on Tuesday, was published in the
government’s gazette and covers wide parts of the Parana River
basin, affecting the provinces of Formosa, Chaco, Corrientes, Santa
Fe, Entre Ríos, Misiones and Buenos Aires.

Residents and businesses in these areas are urged to reduce the
amount of water they use.

“The extraordinary magnitude of the emergency requires that all
areas of the national government join forces to mitigate this
hydrological phenomenon in the areas affected,” the government
decree said.

Ships departing from Rosario are having to leave grains ports with
25% less cargo than usual due to river shallowness, which is not
expected to improve for months.

The emergency is hitting at the peak of soy and corn export season.
Argentina is the world’s No. 3 corn exporter and top supplier of
soymeal livestock feed, used to fatten hogs and poultry from Europe
to Southeast Asia.

Reporting by Lucila Sigal; Writing by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by
Paul Simao