Despite all the difficulties such as the lack of credit, the high cost of fuel, personal and legal insecurity in the farms and ranches, electricity failures and the precariousness of agricultural roads, the buffalo breeders in Venezuela and especially in Apure State, continue to bet on the country, and prefer to pack pastures rather than suitcases. They remain hopeful and maintain the firm conviction that the current problems will be resolved for the well-being of the sector.
María Eugenia Díaz // Correspondent lapatilla.com
At the Apure’s Búfalo Expoventa 2023, held this Saturday, December 16th at the ‘La Beraca’ farm, located on the Biruaca-Achaguas national highway of this plains state, and organized by the Apure’s State Cattle and Buffalo Association (Agapure and Agabufalo ), where the Director of ‘Criabúfalos’ (Buffalo raisers) and President of the Cojedes State Buffalo Association (Asoganco), Angelo Puchino, highlighted the growth experienced by this sector during 2023, thanks to the advantages of the buffalo and the confidence of the Venezuelan producer in this dual-purpose animal (meat and milk), because it also represents the future of Venezuela, since the agricultural economy is supported on its back.
“It is one of the areas where people are still very enthusiastic despite the persistent shortages. It is difficult to work without the help of the Government or the banks, without fuel. But we trust that soon we will have a better Venezuela, where we all fit, a Venezuela looking towards the future with a desire to grow,” he highlighted.
He, who is also the winner of the 2023 World Buffalo Congress, in Apure in southern Venezuelathere is a true human warmth that has motivated the holding of four fairs in recent years. This has allowed Apure buffalo farmers to share, with their colleagues and the general public, their knowledge because it gives them a lot of satisfaction,” said Puchino.
Outlook for 2024
Breeders in Apure hope that by 2024, buffalo farming will be on the front line. Chara Melgarejo, Director of the National Federation of Livestock Farmers (Fedenaga), predicts a 10% to 15% growth in buffalo farming in Apure State during 2024, thanks to the tireless work of the buffalo farmers who live and work in this state.
“Although we have the largest herd in the country, we need to increase productivity with better quality animals and hold events of this type so that small and medium-sized producers are encouraged to continue investing in livestock farming during 2024, a year of expectations for the ranchers of Venezuela and Apure, because the unity of all the producers in this state, both buffalo and zebu cattle, will be achieved. We hope that the year 2024 comes to a successful conclusion,” said Melgarejo.
The Director of Agapure and member of the Buffalo Association (Agabufalo), also stated that the buffalo herd in Apure is growing rapidly among small, medium and large producers, which is why he proposes the implementation of programs aimed at guaranteeing good quality animals in every production unit and increase productivity to make 2024 the best year.
However, Melgarejo confesses that the year 2023 “was not very positive” in terms of cheese and meat sales in Apure. “We resist and resist year after year, and we continue to produce with quality and with a lot of effort and thus we are little by little achieving our goals. Being a buffalo breeder is something indescribable, it is a beautiful feeling that is contagious in Apure state. It fills me with joy because the buffalo is a very noble animal, an animal that adapts to our environmental conditions and is increasingly highly productive. Everyone becomes infected with the idea of being a buffalo fan,” he pointed out.
The first buffaloes
Francisco Reggeti Gómez is from Caracas by birth and a plainsman in spirit and heart. He has lived 44 years between the states of Apure and Guárico. Son of Carmen Gómez de Reggeti (93 years old) says that his great-grandfather, General Juan Vicente Gómez, brought the first buffaloes to the country, which fills him with pride. He celebrates with emotion the rise of the sector in Venezuela in recent years.
“Thanks to General Juan Vicente Gómez, my mother decided to buy buffaloes to follow the example of my great-grandfather General Gómez. I remember that we started with a very small herd, it was difficult for us to grow because at that time no one believed in the buffalo, they considered the buffalo an animal that was not worth the effort. It fills me with pride that now, the Venezuelan population works for, with and for the buffalo,” he said for lapatilla.com.
He confesses that in the beginning, the Reggeti family faced many problems. However, currently, he works facing challenges in the best way. “The first buffaloes arrived in the time of Gómez, later the Government together with the Venezuelan Corporation of Guayana (CVG) and the Ministry of Agriculture began to bring animals.” Subsequently, the Reggeti family began to venture into buffalo breeding and raising on the “La Guanota” farm, and then other buffalo farmers such as David Coarán, among others, joined.
More support from the State
Francisco Reggeti considers it a challenge to meet during 2024 the eradication of hoof and mouth disease in the country. He urges his colleagues to join the vaccination days starting next year to guarantee the health of all herds and thus enable the export of buffalo cattle and products.
“Let’s continue working hard, let’s continue improving year after year, the health of the herd is the most important thing. I am still in Venezuela because it is the country that I love, it is the country where I was born, the country where I have given all my effort and it is where I want to die,” said buffalo breeder Francisco Reggetti.
Janio Gracia, Second Vice President of Agapure and buffalo producer in the Achaguas municipality, Apure State, believes that the union must take a step forward shaping the agricultural policies of the National Government.
Gracia details that the main problem that must be addressed for the benefit of the sector is security on the farms and of the herds of Apure, since the arrival of irregular armed groups, these have hindered the daily activities of the ranchers and farmers.
“We hope that in 2024, the Government will support us to combat cattle rustling, so we are able to increase milk and meat production, obtain higher meat yields in Apure, the first maute (young bulls ver a year old) producing state. Buffalo is our best alternative to improve our cash flow and the quality of life of our families and workers,” he added.
Buffalo profitability
Despite this adverse outlook, Gracia does not give up because his family taught him to love buffalo farming and that motivates him to continue in the country where he was born, regardless of the political system established in Venezuela. “I still believe in my country and in change, democratic freedom thanks to the contribution of all the buffalo breeders and we may be able to face adversity,” he declared.
Mario Zelaya, a buffalo farmer for about 10 years and First Vice President of Agapure, highlights the genetic advance of the herds in the state demonstrated in the four ‘ExpoFerias Apureñas del Búfalo’ (Cattle fairs dedicated to buffalo breeding), organized by Agapure on the La Beraca farm regularly in order to allow to the most important ranches in the region to show the new generations and the genetic quality of buffaloes.
Zelaya confesses that on his farm he has a mixed herd, one part is zebu and the other is buffalo, as a strategy to maintain milk and meat production, and cover the operating expenses of his farm. Each one gives birth during different times of the year. Buffalo is more profitable than zebu cattle: they calve during the ‘winter’ (rainy season, May to October), while the cows calve in the ‘summer’ (dry season, November to April).
“The buffalo is not selective when it comes to eating and has greater performance. It allows the small producer, the medium producer or the large producer to consolidate, it allows him to achieve higher levels of production, greater well-being,” said Zelaya for LP.
The problem of insecurity
In the opinion of Raúl Rincones, a buffalo farmer for 12 years and Director of Agapure, the sector has suffered a significant contraction in field work, given the severe access problems and high cost of fuel and lack of bank credit to oxygenate productive activity in Apure. .
The buffalo farmer emphasized that the growth of buffalo cattle in the plains entity is slow. “The year 2024 will be a year of challenges, because we will have severe problems to continue operating. But we have the willingness to continue surviving,” he added.
Rincones explained that insecurity has hit 60% of livestock farmers, despite the fact that the State promotes policies to attack this problem. Rustling and theft of livestock continues to decimate the national herd.
In its latest report, Fedenaga estimates that one million cattle are lost in Venezuela due to this scourge. It is also important to mention that the personal safety of the owners and workers of the farms is deeply affected.
“Buffalo ranching is our means of subsistence for the family and the roots keep me in the country waiting for a process of change that allows better conditions and opportunities for the country and for the buffalo farmers. We hope for life and health to continue working, and for the herd to grow or be maintained, that is next year’s challenge,” said the director of Agapure.