The Secretary of Agriculture of the Nation, Juan Jose Bahillo, met with provincial ministers and with the referents of the Liaison Table in Rosario. The place was the local seat of the Government.
the national government prepares measures to alleviate the situation of agricultural production affected by the historical drought that hits the country. This was stated by the Secretary of Agriculture of the Nation, Juan José Bahillo, after a meeting he held in Rosario with the Ministers of Production and Agriculture of five provinces and with the members of the liaison table of agricultural entities.
Also read: Santa Fe producers warned that more than half of the corn planted is lost due to drought
Speed in the processing of agricultural emergency declarations, tax relief and direct aid, especially for the dairy and livestock, are some of the items on the agenda that were discussed. On these axes the package will be supported, which, in the next few hours, would be announced by the Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, or President Alberto Fernández.
The union referents and those responsible for the agricultural policies of Santa Fe, Córdoba, Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos and La Pampa, agreed on the need for these measures to be urgent. “The situation is critical and help that arrives late is not help,” said the second vice president of the Argentine Rural Society (SRA), Raúl Etchebehere.
Bahillo’s meeting with the agricultural leadership and the provincial ministers was held at the request of the latter, after a call by the secretary to analyze the situation of the drought failed last week due to the absence of the liaison table.
“The three of us asked the Secretary of Agriculture of the Nation to hold this meeting because we need, especially in dairy and livestock, to have a joint vision and decisions; the measures are going to exist and the announcements have to be quick”said the Minister of Agriculture of Córdoba, Sergio Busso, during a press conference offered together with his peers from Buenos Aires, Javier Rodríguez, and from Santa Fe, daniel costamagnaat the end of the meeting held at the provincial government headquarters in Rosario.
In the province
With the drought hitting a good part of agriculture for the third consecutive year, the situation is serious all along the line, although each region has its particularities. Costamagna, the host of the meeting, described that in Santa Fe the situation “is very difficult in the North for small and medium-sized livestock producers, with livestock deaths.” In the Rosario area, the legume complex was greatly affected and 50% of the wheat yield in the province was also lost.
Even so, the official warned: “We all agree that we are more concerned with the film than the photo, because a drought hits you at this time of year and hits you on the waterline.” It is that it is the time when reserves are made for dairy and livestock, and in which corn is planted, “which is the productive hinge for all food production.” In fact, he pointed out that “Today the planting of corn and soybeans is practically interrupted”.
