Rio de Janeiro, May 19 (IANS): A persistent drought in northeastern Brazil has destroyed up to 40 percent of the crops, authorities said Friday.
The Bahiain state has been reeling under droughts for the past few months.
The Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Federation said people in the smaller towns in the region will face meat shortages in the next three months. Milk production has already been reduced by a third, and beans, corn and fruit crops will also suffer a loss.
The tourism industry is also threatened. The Bahia state is famous for its annual religious parties in June, but at least 47 towns have cancelled or downsized their traditional celebrations due to the drought, Xinhua reported.