Food and beverage smuggling affect 125,000 jobs in Bolivia

The smuggling of eight categories of food and beverages generates a loss of $550 million and affects approximately 125,000 jobs nationwide.

Soboce invests $30 million to modernize the Warnes cement plant.

Sociedad Boliviana de Cemento S.A. (Soboce) decided to invest around $30 million to modernize the Warnes cement plant (Santa Cruz). The new milling system, previously horizontal, is characterized by lower energy use, higher production capacity, and a better relationship with the environment. With the new mill, the plant will have a monthly production capacity of 59,400 tons of cement.

Natural gas consumption in the domestic market rose to 14 MMm3/d

According to data from YPFB Transporte, in the last 15 years, the demand for natural gas for the domestic market has increased from 4 million cubic meters per day (MMm3/d) to 14 MMm3/d. Furthermore, the need for this energy source has grown 250% since 2006, an aspect that positively impacts the economy. As a result, the state-owned company seeks to reduce operating costs.

The government says it has already executed $780 million in public investment

Public investment in the first five months of the year reached $780 million. For this year, the Government allocated a public investment of $4.01 billion in the General State Budget to reactivate domestic demand and strengthen the industrialization of natural resources, among others.

Bolivia sold potassium chloride and lithium carbonate for $6.17 mn

The government says it is accelerating the lithium industrialization process. From January to May, @litio_boliviano captured 42 million bolivianos ($ 6.17 mn) from potassium chloride and lithium carbonate sales. In addition, YLB launched in April this year the "International Call for Direct Lithium Extraction" (EDL), to which more than 19 foreign companies have already applied.