Venezuela pays part of $100 million owed to Uruguayan dairy farmers

MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) - Crisis-stricken Venezuela on Friday paid $30 million of over $100 million in debt it owes Uruguayan dairy farmers, the government of Uruguay said. In July, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sealed a multi-million-dollar food import deal with his Uruguayan counterpart to combat shortages ahead of Venezuela's legislative elections. But instead of paying the $267 million as agreed, Maduro's government deposited in November under a fifth of that amount, according to Uruguay's government.[nL1N13J2AI] "An important payment from Venezuela has arrived, of around $30 million, which will pay what is owed to small dairy producers" and also go towards paying what is owed dairy-products exporter Conaprole, said Uruguayan government official Enzo Benech. (Reporting by Malena Castaldi; Writing by Anthony Esposito; Editing by James Dalgleish)