G/AG/GEN/162  
28 July 2020 
(20-5213) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Agriculture  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
MEASURES TAKEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID -19 PANDEMIC  
WITH  IMPLICATIONS FOR THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR  
COMMUNICATION FROM PARAGUAY  
1.1.  The following communication is being submitted by the Republic of Paraguay as a follow -up to 
the communications " Responding to the COVID -19 Pandemic with Open and Predictable Trad e in 
Agricultural and Food Products " (G/AG/30/Rev.1) and "COVID -19 Initiative : Protecting Global Food 
Security through Open Trade " (G/AG/31/Rev.1), and, more  specifically , in relation to 
paragraph  1.6(e) of document  G/AG/30/Rev.1  and paragraph 11 o f document G/AG/31/Rev.1 . 
1.2.  The measures compiled in the attached table include various types of measures adopted by 
the Government of the Republic of Paraguay in response to the COVID -19 pandemic that have some 
form of implication or consequence for the Paraguayan agricultural sector . 
1.3.  Communicating  measures in this format does not prejudge their notification under the rules of 
the Ag reement on Agriculture, as some of them may not be subject to those notification obligations 
and are included only for the sake of transparency . The measures  have also been communicated  so 
that they can be included in the WTO Secretariat's monitoring work and added to the inform ation 
set out in  the section " COVID -19: Trade and trade -related measures " on the Organization's website . 
1.4.  The measures to be notified in accordance with Paraguay's Agreement on Agriculture 
obligations will be included in the DS:1 notification for the year 2020 . The present  communication 
does not in any way substitute that notification . 
1.5.  The budgetary estimates for Paraguay's measures to address the pandemic are mainly set out 
in Law No. 6524 " declaring a state of emergency in the territory of the Republic of Paraguay ". The 
amounts in guaranis are established  on the basis of a benchmark exchange rate of PYG 6,382 per 
USD 1. 
 
   
  G/AG/GEN/162  
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Table of measures taken  in the context of the COVID -19 pandemic with implications for the agricultural sector  
Measure  Descrip tion Sector o r 
product  Start of 
implementation  End of measure  Sourc e 
COVID -19 
contingency 
measure  Provision of seeds, inputs and technical assistance for 
50,000 plots of farmland used by vulnerable famil ies to 
produce  food for their own consumption . The production 
plan amounts to approximately 8  million  dollars . The 
Agricultural Outreach Directorate (DEAg) of the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) is responsible for 
coordination and implementation.  The measure is not 
sector - or 
product -specific . March  2020 May 2020. 
The measure has 
been implemented 
and executed . LAW NO. 6469/2020 "ADOPTING 
THE GENERAL BUDGET OF THE 
NATION FOR FISCAL Y EAR 2020" 
 
"Ñangareko"  
programme  Money transfers to informal workers for purchasing food, 
medicines and hygiene products . Benefit provided as a 
one-time payment per person . Total amount : 
PYG 165 million. B enefits approximately 330,000 famil ies. The measure is not 
sector - or 
product -specific , 
or exclusive to the 
agricultural sector . First half of 2020 The measure has 
been 
implemented and 
executed.  DECREE NO.  3495 OF 
30 MARCH 2020 
  
"Pytyvo" and 
"Pytyvo 2.0"  
programmes  Aimed at informal and formal workers (SMEs) m ost affected 
by the COVID -19 pandemic . The total amount of the benefit 
is provided in a one -time payment  per person . Transferred 
in two instalments , but only once per beneficiary, for the 
purchase of food , medicines and hygiene products . Total 
disbursement : PYG  1,914,600 per beneficiary . Payments 
received by  approximately 2  million  people . The measure is not 
sector - or 
product -specific, 
or exclusive to the 
agricultural sector.  First and second 
halves of 2020 The measure has 
been implemented 
and executed . ECONOMIC RECOVERY  PLAN 
 
Agrarian market 
integration project  
(PIMA)  Improved  market access conditions for producer 
organizations and indigenous communities, including 
mechanisms for investing in the improvement of production 
techniques and the incorporation of the use of technology to 
enhance competitiveness and sustainability . The project 
benefits approxi mately 170,000 small and medium -sized 
producers . Total amount budgeted : 25 million  dollars . The measure is not 
sector - or 
product -specific . June 2020 Once the funds 
have been fully 
allocated . The 
measure is part of 
a World Bank loan 
package .  LAW NO. 6469/2020 "ADOPTING 
THE GENERAL BUDGET OF THE 
NATION FOR FISCAL Y EAR 2020" 
and LAW NO.  6524/2020 
"DECLARING A STATE OF 
EMERGENCY TH ROUGHOUT THE 
TERRITORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF 
PARAGUAY IN VIEW OF THE 
COVID -19 OR CORONAVIRUS 
PANDEMIC DECLARED BY THE 
WORLD HEA LTH ORGANIZATION 
AND ESTABLISHING 
ADMINISTRATIVE, FISCAL AND 
FINANCIAL MEASURES" .   
  G/AG/GEN/162  
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Measure  Descrip tion Sector o r 
product  Start of 
implementation  End of measure  Sourc e 
Agricultural 
Equipment Bank 
(CAH)  investment 
programme  Investment programme to be implemented by the 
Agricultural Equipment Bank (CAH) as part of the  COVID -19 
measures introduced  within the framework of the 
Paraguayan Guarantee Fund ( FOGAPY) . A total of 
7,922  loans will be granted in 2020 in the economic, 
services and consumption sectors.  The measure is not 
sector - or 
product -specific . March  2020 December  2020 LAW NO. 6524/2020 "DECLARING 
A STATE OF EMERGENCY 
THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY 
OF THE REPUBLIC OF PARAGUAY 
IN VIEW OF THE COVID -19 OR 
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC 
DECLARED BY THE WORLD 
HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND 
ESTABLISHING ADMINISTRATIVE, 
FISCAL AND FINANCIAL 
MEASURES" . 
Capitaliz ation of 
livestock sector 
MSMEs  To be implemented by the Livestock Fund for a total 
amount of USD 20 million. T he loans are earmarked for 
production, the purchase of animals and the value chain in 
the livestock sector, including working capital, transport, 
veterinary services, equipment,  infrastructure , and the 
purchase of technology . Livestock  June 2020 December  2020 LAW NO. 6524/2020 "DECLARING 
A STATE OF EMERGENCY 
THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY 
OF THE REPUBLIC OF PARAGUAY 
IN VIEW OF THE COVID -19 OR 
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC 
DECLARED BY THE WORLD 
HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND 
ESTABLISHING ADMINISTRATIVE, 
FISCAL AND FINANCIAL 
MEASURES" . 
Estab lishment of 
an exceptional and 
transitional regime 
to facilitate the 
payment of taxes  Facilitates the payment of taxes for IRACIS and IRAGRO for 
the fiscal year 2019 and extends the deadline for the first 
IRE payment until July 2020. The measure is not 
sector - or 
product -specific, 
or exclusive to the 
agricultural sector . 31 March  2020  DECR EE NO. 3480 OF 
28 MARCH 2020 
 
Reduction of 
import costs   Adjustment of fees related to the importation of goods, 
resulting in  a 30-40% reduction in import costs.  The measure is not 
sector - or 
product -specific, 
or exclusive to the 
agricultural sector.  Second half of  
2020  ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN  
 
Reduction of 
export costs  Digitization of export procedures . The measure is not 
sector - or 
product -specific, 
or exclusive to the 
agricultural sector.  Second half of  
2020  ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN  
 
 
 
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