Super El Niño threatens Latin American crops, ports and fishing
Why it matters: Heavier southern rains may aid soy and corn, while floods, drought and a 31% drop in Peru fishing add new risks.
Latin America is preparing for what researchers say could become the strongest El Niño on record, with likely effects on farming, transport, fishing and energy across the region. In Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil, above-normal rainfall could improve soil moisture and support soybean, corn and wheat planting, though excess humidity also raises the risk of fungal disease and nutrient loss. The same rains could flood rural roads and port routes. On the Pacific side, Peru's northern coast faces flooding while the highlands confront water shortages, a pattern the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said could also hit Chile and nearby areas. Warmer seas have already cut Peru's fishing activity 31% in the first five months of the year.