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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.
The Minister of Public Works, Iván Arias Durán, announced the creation of a Metropolitan Basin Authority to monitor the 16 rivers in Cochabamba and prevent natural disasters like the one in Tiquipaya that damaged 70 houses.
In 2019, Alicorp achieved 19.1% growth to 9.9 billion soles in net sales ($2.9 billion). The Peruvian consumer goods company announced that it will continue to invest heavily in countries such as Ecuador and Bolivia.
Bolivia’s forestry sector closed with a positive trade balance of $ 2.36 million in 2019, as it exported $55.54 million and imported US$53,18 million in timber products, reported the Bolivian Forestry Chamber (CFB).
Bolivia’s Bank association (Asoban) wants to review the regulated portfolio quotas, especially in the productive and social housing loans. According to Asoban, last year productive and social housing loans represented 62% of the portfolio.
Drought and flooding have compromised soybean production in Santa Cruz, in eastern Bolivia. Floods in the region have left at least 1,000 hectares of soybeans under water, while the recent drought has reduced the yield potential of about 400,000 hectares, resulting in a loss of 500,000 tons of soybeans or a loss of about $140 million.
The president of the state-run YPFB, Herland Soliz, announced that the company will begin exploration for unconventional hydrocarbons in the Miraflores area of the department of Chuquisaca. He added that there is a great possibility of finding a reservoir with a potential higher than 400 TCF.
Beer was the main alcoholic beverage imported in 2019 with $11.6 million, according to a report by the Bolivian Institute of Foreign Trade (IBCE) with data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE). Beer imports were followed by rum (US$8 million) and whiskey (US$4.5 million).
