ARGENTINA-FARMERS PRESS CONGRESS.
Farmers to press Congress on export duties
Buzzi said that the government has offered some partial measures for wheat and beef, but that it adamantly refuses to bow to farmers’ main demand, a reduction in the 35-percent export grain duties weighing on soybeans, the country’s main foreign currency earner. He also said that they urged the government to review its decision to nationalize the road grain freight permits that were until recently managed by Buzzi’s Argentine Agrarian Federation (FAA) and to instruct state-run Banco Nación to refrain from auctioning property of indebted farmers.
Llambías said that they still needed measures for the dairy sector, wheat and regional economies (namely wool, honey and hide). Randazzo said, however, that there has been progress on financing, regional economies and help for farmers affected by the worst-ever drought in the country, which has been a factor in leading it to harvest this season about 30 million tons less than the 95 million of last season. Randazzo added that "we will make every possible effort to find solutions, but we will not squander the effort of millions of Argentines."
Buzzi said that during the meetings the ministers adopted a stance as if like saying "OK, now go and see how you manage in Congress." He added that the government’s fostering a bill to bring forward mid-term elections to June 28 from October 25 on allegations that otherwise governability would be at risk amid the global economic crisis, "doesn’t change farmers’ priorities."
Mrs. Kirchner’s predecessor and husband Néstor Kirchner, who chairs the Peronist Party, yesterday said at a rally in La Plata that "the differences with the rural federations must be defined on June 28." The bill on the election yesterday cleared the committee stage and is due to be debated today in the Lower House.
Congress in July last year forced Mrs. Kirchner to roll back to 35 percent the sharp increases she had imposed on March last year alleging that farmers were reaping windfall benefits and that she needed the extra revenue to foster a more even distribution of riches. Grain prices plunged a few months later amid the global crisis.
Farmers in more than 30 towns in several provinces awaited the outcome of yesterday’s meeting at the roadsides and farm leaders called grassroots to continue at the roadsides, to lobby legislators in Congress and those who are closer to Buenos Aires to march to the city to press their demands that Congress debate an opposition bill to lower duties.
Attending the meeting with the government officials were also Carlos Garetto, head of Coninagro and Hugo Biolcati, the chairman of the Argentine Rural Society (SRA).
Asked by the Herald whether farmers could stage new export sales boycotts in case Congress fails to lower duties, Biolcati said that no form of protest should be ruled out. In their year-long dispute with the government farmers several times launched export grain sales boycotts that deprived the government of revenu
e, and road blockades that hampered exports and caused food shortages in one of the world’s largest food exporters.
Farmers said that despite all difficulties they would continue meeting with government officials. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 31, considering that Tuesday 24 is a holiday.
