Rainfall raised Paraguay river levels improving outlook, albeit sustainability not guaranteed

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Economist Óscar Stark highlighted that rainfall has contributed to the recovery of the Paraguay River, which this year reached a record low of -75 cm in the port of Asunción on October 6, surpassing the 1900s historical record.

“The Paraguay River is recovering rapidly with the rains. In the last few days it rose more than 1 meter, reaching 29 cm today, after having reached -75 cm a few days ago, its historical record since 1902,” he tweeted.

Stark said that in Asunción the ideal level starts at 2 meters, and although conditions are now good, they would be very good were it to reach over 3 meters.

The fact is that with every centimeter it rises, the situation improves, he said, while recalling that in February this year the river level exceeded 4.5 meters, an excellent figure, thus hoping that the rise will be permanent.

GROWTH IN DOUBT

River and Maritime Shipowners Centre (CAFyM) director Juan Carlos Muñoz agreed that conditions have indeed improved, although he was cautious in saying that growth sustainability cannot be guaranteed.

“It is good news, the level improved but unfortunately the main doubt is its sustainability, hopefully it will rain more in the north towards the area in the upper basin of the Paraguay River, in the Pantanal it barely rained at all,” he added.

According to forecasts, the problem will not be fully solved until the months of January through March next year, the key period to determine the outlook for 2022, he said.