According to official data, mining investment in Bolivia closed 2019 with $4 million for prospecting and exploration. The investment executed was minimal, the reserves did not expand, putting the sector at risk in the medium term, only 20% of the mining cooperatives and 48% of the small miners have the Mining Identification Number.
Savings have fallen by 1.16%, from Bs 179.4 billion ($25.9 billion) in December 31, 2019 to Bs 177.4 billion ($25.6 billion) in January 31 of this year, according to data from the Bolivia’s Financial Authority (ASFI).
The Bolivian Port Services Administration (ASP-B) reported Thursday that a new Bolivian shipment of 10,679 tons of construction material arrived at the Peruvian port of Ilo in recent days onboard the ship Navios Soleil. It is the first shipment scheduled for this year. Bolivia plans to mobilize more than 100,000 tons of cargo through the port of Ilo, to consolidate this maritime terminal as a real alternative to Bolivian foreign trade.
As of December 31, 2019, the balance of Bolivia’s medium- and long-term public external debt reached $11,267.6 million, an increase of 10.7% compared to 2018, according to the Central Bank of Bolivia (BCB).
Thje volume of Bolivian exports through land in 2019 reached three million tonnes, same level as 2018 while imports grew from 4.9 to 5.1 million tonnes, according to the Bolivian Institute of Commerce (IBCE). The main exports were soy cakes, zinc minerals, soybean oil and liquified gas petroleum. The main imports were diesel, gasoline with a 90 – 95 index, wheat flower and iron or steel bars.
The manager of Santa Cruz Agricultural Chamber (CAO), Edilberto Osinaga, reported that climatic phenomena, such as droughts and floods, have not affected even 1% of the crops in the country and that supply is guaranteed. The current cultivated area in the country reaches 2.7 million hectares. According to data from the National Institute of Agrarian Insurance, rains and droughts have affected some 15,000 hectares of crops.
The epidemic of the coronavirus and the social conflicts that occurred during the past administration in the country caused foreign tourists to suspend their visit to the Oruro Carnival. The department’s Hotel Chamber only managed to fill 50% of its accommodation capacity and estimates an economic loss of almost $30 million, reported its president, Fernando Rodriguez.
There are 329,025 companies operating in Bolivia, 3.7% more than in January 2019, when a total of 317,314 companies were registered. According to Fundempresa, La Paz has the largest share with 30.9%, followed by Santa Cruz with 29.2% and Cochabamba with 17.2%, and the rest is distributed among Tarija (5.1%), Oruro (4.8%), Potosi (4.4%), Chuquisaca (4.1%), Beni (3.1%) and Pando (1.1%).
In 2019, the Latin American Development Bank (CAF) disbursed US$ 32.9 million to promote and stimulate the ecosystems of microfinance institutions in Bolivia, thereby improving the country’s financial inclusion and productivity.
The soybean has been trading at $335 per ton, placed in Rosario (Argentina), but because of the coronavirus the international price has dropped between $5 and $7 per ton. China is the largest buyer of soybeans worldwide, with about 70%, but the appearance of the coronavirus has affected demand in this market.
