Colombian exporters to Venezuela have been suffering great losses a week after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’ decision to freeze relations with Colombia.
Sources told terra.com that huge piles of sugar cane is rotting on the Colombian side of the border while brick-makers haven’t been able to reduce their bound-for-exportation inventory.
25,000 tons of sugar cane awaits exportation. According to Heliodoro Oliveros, who represents the Colombian sugar cane growers, the loss amounts to 40% of this year harvest.
Mario Becerra, mayor of the Colombian Border town of El Zulia, says the bi-national trade has been negatively affected by the mounting tensions between the two countries.
The decline in Colombian exportation to Venezuela came after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez decided to substitute everything Venezuala buys from Colombia with imports from other countries.
Colombia and Venezuela share a 1,375-mile border and a US$7 billion trade.
Venezuela has already signed contracts for Argentinean products and is negotiating deals with Brazilian businesspeople.