Perotti promoted financial assistance to the agricultural sector to take advantage of the international environment favourable to the countryside

The governor of Santa Fe, Omar Perotti, was in favor of the national productive sectors, and in particular, those that have a strong roots in Santa Fe, which in many cases, are the main supporters of many communities in the province. “Because of the war between Russia and Ukraine, someone is going to have to occupy that space in the production of grain and flours. This is a huge opportunity for Santa Fe and Argentina,” said the provincial president.

During the opening ceremony of the envelopes of the tender launched by his government for the construction of the Metropolitan Gas Pipeline, held in the provincial capital, Perotti insisted that “the war between Russia and Ukraine will change the map of world food production”.

In this regard, and explaining his position around the scenario that is beginning to emerge internationally, he stated that in personal terms “he would have started by taking advantage of opportunities and giving a signal to all our sectors to see how we make the most of the possibility of growing in grain and flour production to the world”.

“That was what we conveyed to the President last week: the war conflict generates increased costs for some inputs that we import and increases the prices of products we export,” he added.

After expressing his desire for the peace process in Eastern Europe to move forward, Perotti deepened his analysis: “The reconstruction that will have to be done of Ukraine will not allow them to be normal and regular suppliers of their full potential in wheat or sunflower. Someone is going to have to occupy that space and it is a huge opportunity for Argentina.”

In line with this, he recalled the measures taken in that direction by the government of Santa Fe. “We have launched our own program to encourage producers with promoted financing lines so that we can grow in wheat, corn, soy and fruit and vegetable production,” explained the provincial president.

For Perotti, the country “has to make a quantitative and qualitative leap; and we estimate that we will grow by 20 percent in our grain production scheme to supply our mills, and the transformation of grains into protein for meat and milk.”

About withholding

Perotti, shared President Alberto Fernández's view of safeguarding the prices of the family basket and the income of the most vulnerable sectors. But he left no doubt in his claim by calling for “efforts not to fall solely on the agricultural sector.”

“The prices that rose internationally were not only those of grains; but also those of crude oil and minerals rose, so it would be good if we are thinking of a solidarity scheme, that this effort can be done jointly,” Perotti stressed. In addition, the governor urged “to analyze how best to reach the pockets of those families in need.”

“We do not agree that the industry has a rise in withholdings because we understand that it is an instance that did not work in the previous stage,” said Rafael and head of the provincial executive branch before a press consultation on the new measures put in place by Nación.

Referring to his position in defense of industry and agribusiness, the governor noted that “it has to do with something deeper, with the defense of domestic industry and the incorporation of added value. We don't want what Argentina can do to end up doing by India or China, who are the ones who take the grains to industrialize them in their country. And that they definitely have to give us the currency we need because it is more expensive to sell flour or oil than to sell beans,” Perotti said.

The governor of Santa Fe recalled the central section of the last meeting held with the President, where Perotti proposed to Alberto Fernández the creation of a major incentive program to increase wheat production.

Perotti confirmed yesterday what the position of the government leading the future of this issue will be. “We are going to continue this discussion, because we believe in the defense of agribusiness. Again, this is a huge opportunity for Argentina and it is worth insisting on what we are doing in the province of Santa Fe: encouraging our producers with concrete lines of financing. We have to grow with more wheat, more corn, more soy and more fruit and vegetable production,” said the governor.

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