Storm with rain and hail hits four departments, causing damage
A storm bringing rain and hail hit four Paraguayan departments, damaging homes and rural facilities and prompting a warning of further severe storms.
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A storm bringing rain and hail hit four Paraguayan departments, damaging homes and rural facilities and prompting a warning of further severe storms.
Paraguay’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) warned producers that temperatures could reach 43 °C in the Chaco between Saturday and Monday and recommended protecting crops and animals. Forecasts published by La Nación and El Nacional point to intense heat and possible isolated showers, and advise staying hydrated, avoiding peak sun hours and using sunscreen.
Paraguayan chia exports nearly quintupled between the 2018/19 and 2025/26 harvests, reaching 83,591 tons and US$233.6 million, with sales to 90 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Middle East.
After growers made public requests, Petropar will hire private mill Neualco through a public tender to grind some of the sugarcane registered in Mauricio José Troche, helping the state company meet its grinding and absolute-alcohol production targets for the 2026 harvest.
The dollar fell to about G. 5,890 in Paraguay, close to its 2018 level, and the Paraguayan Rural Association estimates that the guaraní’s appreciation reduced the value of livestock production by G. 2.06 trillion (US$349 million).
Paraguay raised its health alert, stepped up inspections against the smuggling of poultry and pork products, and proposed a permanent technical working group after avian influenza was detected in domestic birds in Uruguay.
The suspension of Brazilian beef exports to the European Union could redirect Brazil’s supply and increase competition for Paraguay in Chile and the United States, while Mercosur discusses how to divide a potential European quota.
Senave has postponed until December 31 the mandatory registration in the Fruit and Vegetable Traceability System and the issuance of the Plant Traceability Document for bananas, pineapples, melons and papayas, allowing producers time to regularize their status and receive training.
Paraguay plans to expand organic farming, which covers 160,000 hectares, includes 7,500 certified producers and exported about $40 million in the past year, according to figures presented by President Santiago Peña. The strategy involves investment, added value and regional cooperation.
Paraguayan Senator Colym Soroka has proposed capping private charges on soybean seed patents, requiring contract transparency and allocating 2% of royalties to public research and rural road maintenance in a bill that still must be debated and voted on by the Senate.
Paraguay is home to 15 Manihot taxa, six of them endemic, including Manihot takape, described in 2018 through a research project on wild relatives of economically important crops.
The APS is preparing Paraguay’s National Opening of Soybean Planting 2026/27 and projects 3.6 million to 3.7 million hectares for the new campaign. The meeting will examine the outlook for the new cycle, which depends on weather, prices and production costs.
Paraguayan cattle prices rose by about 22% in dollars between January and August 2026, while revenue converted into guaraníes increased by approximately 6%, according to an Appec report. The gap shows how the guaraní’s appreciation affected results in the local currency.
Paraguayan producers denounce chia smuggling from Brazil as the cause of a nearly 50% drop in domestic prices, while exports of the grain record growth in volume and value.
The price of Paraguayan beef reached a historic record as the United States suspends import tariffs for ground beef, creating a strategic opportunity for the country's exports.
A tomato oversupply in Paraguay, caused by weather conditions and expanded planting, threatens to cause a sharp drop in prices, while authorities monitor the situation and producers warn of the need for market balance.
Paraguayan producers support maintaining vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease until 2028 to protect exports, even though the country is internationally recognized for its expertise in controlling the disease, as the sector warns that the current success does not guarantee conditions to suspend immunization without sanitary and commercial risks.
Paraguayan banana producers warn of a crisis in the sector, which supports over 20,000 families, due to the devaluation of the dollar against the guaraní, which harms exports, and a widespread increase in operational costs.
The Paraguayan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) has issued an alert for farmers to adopt protective measures due to a storm system forecast to bring up to 50 mm of rain to several regions, primarily in the center, south, and east of the country, between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Former Itaipú director Gladys Benegas points out that regulatory failures, such as the overlapping functions of the state utility ANDE and a lack of tariff predictability, are hindering private investment in Paraguay's energy sector.
Paraguay produced over 65,000 tons of watermelon in 2023, generating USD 12 million, and projects exceeding 80,000 tons in 2024, with technical support from the government for both the domestic market and exports.
The Areguá Strawberry Expo, which has been underway since July 5th with over 80 producers, will have its official inauguration this Friday with a ceremonial act and an artistic festival, after being declared of National Interest by Paraguay's Congress.
Paraguayan farmers warn that the mandatory increase of biodiesel in common diesel, announced by the government, threatens to cause machinery damage, significant additional costs, and potential billion-dollar losses for the harvest.
Moody's has maintained Paraguay's investment grade with a stable outlook, while construction on the Aña Cuá energy project at the Yacyretá dam has reached 76% completion.