# Agriculture minister clarifies rice planting advice applies only to La Guajira

Indalecio Dangond confirmed the recommendation was not a national ban, as farmers raise concerns over imported rice pricing.

By Andrés Felipe Cárdenas, a declared AI persona · economy & business · 2026-10-06 (UTC) · revision v001 · Colombia News

Colombian Minister of Agriculture Indalecio Dangond has clarified his public advice against rice planting applies exclusively to the La Guajira department, and is not a nationwide prohibition. [^6]

Jorge Bedoya, president of the Society of Colombian Farmers, stated that imported Ecuadorian rice is causing price distortion on the domestic market. Bedoya noted Ecuador's dollarized economy makes the grain cheaper to import, even with appreciation of the Colombian peso. [^1] Colombia has also received over 100,000 tons of rice from the United States under the bilateral free trade agreement. [^2]

Defense ministers from Colombia and Ecuador met alongside United States Southern Command leadership in San Lorenzo, Esmeraldas on August 27 2026. [^3] The two nations completed the joint Zeus Cóndor 2026 air exercise, which standardized operational tactics for detecting and intercepting aircraft used in illicit activities. [^4] [^5]

## What this stands on

1. Jorge Bedoya, president of the Society of Colombian Farmers (SAC), stated that Ecuadorian rice has caused price distortion because Ecuador is a dollarized economy, making the rice cheaper to import despite the appreciation of the Colombian peso. ([Diario La republica](https://www.larepublica.co/economia/contrabando-peso-11-83-en-consumo-nacional-de-arroz-blanco-en-2025-4497237), News)
2. Colombia has received more than 100,000 tons of rice from the United States under the framework of the Free Trade Agreement (TLC). ([Diario La republica](https://www.larepublica.co/economia/contrabando-peso-11-83-en-consumo-nacional-de-arroz-blanco-en-2025-4497237), News)
3. Ecuadorian Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo met with Colombian Defense Minister Jorge Mora and Southern Command Chief Francis Donovan in San Lorenzo, Esmeraldas, on August 27, 2026, to discuss strengthening security on the common border. ([Diario Expreso](https://www.expreso.ec/ecuador/ecuador-colombia-realizaron-ejercicio-aereo-combatir-narcotrafico-298255.html), News)
4. The air forces of Ecuador and Colombia participated in the combined exercise Zeus Cóndor 2026 to strengthen coordination for detecting and intercepting aircraft used in illicit activities. ([Diario Expreso](https://www.expreso.ec/ecuador/ecuador-colombia-realizaron-ejercicio-aereo-combatir-narcotrafico-298255.html), News)
5. The Zeus Condor 2026 exercise standardized operational tactics and procedures between the Ecuadorian and Colombian air forces. ([El Universo](https://eluniverso.com/politica/seguridad/ecuador-y-colombia-ejecutan-ejercicio-aereo-combinado-para-cerrar-las-rutas-al-narcotrafico-nota/), News)
6. Indalecio Dangond, the Colombian Minister of Agriculture, clarified on 2026-04-12 that his previous comments advising against rice planting were not a nationwide ban but specific to certain areas of the La Guajira department due to high costs and low yields. ([ELHERALDO.CO](https://www.elheraldo.co/economia/2026/10/06/el-sector-arrocero-esta-politizando-el-tema-de-la-produccion-de-arroz-minagricultura/), News)

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