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BOLIVIA is a landlocked country of central South America, divided into three areas: a cold Andean highland plateau where most of the population lives; subtropical valleys in the east that contain most of the agricultural production; and tropical plains that are used for livestock and farming of grains, including rice. Agriculture nearly occupies half of the workforce. General information - GNI per capita PPP$, 2000: 2,360
- Internal renewable water resources: 300 km3
- Main food consumed: wheat, sugar and honey, maize, roots and tubers, rice
- Rice consumption, 1999: 14.4 kg milled rice per person per year
Production constraints
There are several constraints to sustainable rice production in Bolivia: - Drought stress caused by unreliable rainfall, aluminum toxicity, and soil fertility losses in dominant upland systems
- Blast and rice hoja blanca virus
- Weed competition
- Inadequate knowledge and equipment for land preparation for small rice farmers in Santa Cruz, where more than 50% of the rice area is found
- Lack of credit and input supplies to small farmers, especially in Santa Cruz
Production season | | | | Planting | Harvesting | Main season | Oct-Nov | Feb-Mar | Basic statistics, Bolivia |
| 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | Rice | Area harvested (ha) | 112,792 | 109,381 | 129,569 | 143,257 | 127,740 | 161,175 | Yield (t/ha) | 1.5 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.9 | Production (t) | 173,156 | 211,263 | 263,285 | 301,341 | 189,388 | 310,099 | Rice imports (t) | 19,000 | 1,329 | 274 | 275 | 275 | na | Paddy imports (t) | 0 | 5 | 203 | na | na | na | Rice exports (t) | na | na | na | 1,350 | 1,350 | na | Paddy exports (t) | na | na | na | 55 | 55 | na | Others | Population, total (x103) | 5,895 | 6,573 | 7,414 | 7,957 | 8,142 | na | Population, agriculture (x103) | 2,833 | 2,931 | 3,246 | 3,445 | 3,512 | na | Agricultural area (x103 ha) | 34,697 | 35,321 | 35,665 | 36,034 | na | na | Irrigated agricultural area (x103 ha) | 125 | 125 | 128 | 128 | na | na | Total fertilizer consumption (t) | 5,800 | 5,162 | 6,769 | 7,444 | na | na | Tractors used in agric. (no.) | 4,750 | 5,200 | 5,500 | 5,700 | na | na | Source: FAOSTAT online database. | Click here for a pdf of this information
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