LA PAZ, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia is experiencing its heaviest rainy season in four decades, with more than 133,000 hectares of crops and nearly 680,000 livestock affected, the government said Tuesday.
"The main problem is a lack of forage," said Rural Development and Lands Minister Yamil Flores. "But we still have a real chance to protect overall livestock production."
He added that most animals have survived and recovery remains possible.
The damaged farmland accounts for 3.5 percent of Bolivia's total cultivated area, and Flores dismissed any risk of a national food shortage.
According to the National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology, rainfall levels this season are the highest in at least 40 years.
The rains, which began in November, have also disrupted transport and temporarily pushed up prices for some staple foods. Officials expect conditions to stabilize soon. ■
