Yesterday, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina, Carlos Casamiquela, held a series of meetings with provincial governments, producer organizations and entrepreneurs to advance a joint working agenda that will improve the situation of the fruit sector of Rio Negro and Neuquén.
Casamiquela outlined the main measures implemented so far this year to improve, develop and strengthen small and medium producers in the provinces. He also stressed the importance of recovering the Brazilian market for the placement of the products of the region, which was highlighted as very positive by the producers, entrepreneurs and provincial governments.
Regarding the line of credit at a subsidized rate for producers, packers and juice manufacturers through the Banco de la Nacion Argentina (BNA), which had a first tranche of 100 million pesos (out of 300), the Minister stated that only 10% of that amount had been managed to date.
Therefore, Casamiquela said, the credit line had been increased to 30 million per company and that these same companies could also submit the producers as creditworthy to facilitate access to lines of credit that already exist.
At the meeting, which was held in the afternoon with the provincial governments and representatives of the Ministries of Labour and Economy, progress was made to give effect to the last section of the document signed between the parties regarding the funds provided by the National State and the provinces of Neuquen and Rio Negro.
These funds (which amount to a total of 110 million and have already been committed) will be used to comply with 50% of the total cost of pruning, upon presentation of proof of the work done and upon the hiring of staff duly registered.
At the meeting, the resolution of commercial transparency regarding contracts for the price of the fruit was discussed and the public and private sectors were invited to participate in the regulation of that resolution. Both sectors agreed to comply with the entire Agreement Minutes signed earlier this year, which prioritizes allocating contributions for the improvement of the sector, performing cultural tasks for the next season, and delivering inputs that allow implementing the Health Plan established for the sector.
Casamiquela held a meeting with Argentina's Chamber of Integrated Fruit Growers (CAFI), the Federation of Producers from Rio Negro and Neuquén, and Argentina's Chamber of Industry and Exports of Apple Juice, Pears and Related Products (CINEX).
In the meeting, the minister expressed his full commitment to continue dialoguing and working towards improving Argentina's fruit sector. He also briefed them on the various agreements with provincial governments and the businesses. In this sense, it was clear that the national State met all the commitments made during the first half of the year.
In this context, it is time to consider the responsibility of trade unions for the sector. They are waiting for the producers' response to continue working on measures for the development and strengthening of the fruit sector.
The meeting was attended by producers and entrepreneurs Grisanti Gabriel (Tres Ases), Jorge Teft (PAI), Ariel Sabbag (SABBAG), Alberto Albano and Gustavo Tanzzi (KLEPPE), Denis Kloster (ECOFRUT), Hernán Secreto and Hugo Sanchez (Patagonian Fruit); Jorge Cervi and Eduardo ARUANO (Cervi Brothers), Jorge Cekosky (Cekosky Frutas), Gustavo Islas (Primera Cooperativa), Francisco Prado (Jugos del Sur), Constanzi Edgardo (Cooperativa Sidrera Las Delicias), and Jorge Vilesich and Daniel Data (Cooperativa Juguera de Rio Colorado).