MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine farmers satisfied with “dialogue spirit”

Pte. CFK meeting with Farmers leaders

Argentine farmers' leaders described the long awaited Friday meeting with President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to discuss camp policies, particularly taxes, as “positive” and praised the “sincere” and “dialogue spirit” of the three hours discussions held at Government House, Casa Rosada.

However the first round was mainly "political" with "no specifics" and it was agreed that beginning next Monday experts will meet regularly to discuss specific issues. Argentine farmers staged a 21 day strike, which only ended early April, when the government hiked export levies on oil seeds triggering a protest that extended to all the country and all camp sectors which left many supermarkets empty of meat, dairy products and fresh fruit and vegetables. The round of discussions with the four main farmers' organizations beginning Monday will be chaired by Cabinet secretary Alberto Fernandez. "It was a meeting where both sides talked with great sincerity", underlined Mario Llambias from the Argentine Rural Confederations, CRA, one of the four farmers' organizations. Eduardo Buzzi, from the Argentine Agrarian Federation, FAA said that "in political terms the meeting was positive, but with no specifics, we still have ahead the challenge of discussing the pending issues". He underlined that "at last we stopped talking with the government through the press and sat down round a table. We think it's very positive the government acknowledges there's a need for a farm policy in Argentina". "We've launched a dialogue, which is very positive", said Fernando Gioino from Coninagro adding that "all positions and wishes of the camp" were transmitted to President Cristina Fernandez. On the government side, Mrs. Kirchner was accompanied by cabinet secretary Alberto Fernandez. Economy minister Martin Lousteau, who is singled as the brains behind the controversial sliding grains and oilseeds export levies, and the even more disputed "income re-distribution" policy of the Mrs. Kirchner administration was absent. He was meeting US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in the framework of the World Bank and IMF annual assemblies in Washington. Lucinao Miguens from the Argentine Rural Society said that from the meeting has come the commitment to integrate the camp to the overall government policies. "We'll work emphasizing agro-industry, the need to integrate chains of production and this is a deficit that both the camp and the President admit". However a few minutes before meeting with farmers' representatives Mrs. Kirchner in a ceremony at Government House defended the grain and oil seeds export levies policy of her government and detailed the origin of the Argentine Treasury revenue. She said that export levies on grains and oil seeds are fourth in importance behind VAT, High earnings tax and employers' contributions, representing 13% of total revenues. "Of that 13%, the camp sector contributes 7.9% and farmers 3.9%", said Mrs. Kirchner adding that all Argentines should know exactly what the other Argentines pay in taxes, "so we can have a more fair and just society" and current figures show that "those who most pay are those who have least". Cristina Fernandez also sent a message to some of the governors who sided with farmers during the conflict saying that "all those who have ruling responsibilities, or defend or represent certain interests" must act with intellectual rigor. "If we are to begin to agree, we must have intellectual rigor and honesty", she stressed. Another strong message from the Argentine Executive was a political rally organized by former president Nestor Kirchner on Thursday where he openly criticized the recent farmers strike linking that attitude to the military coups of 1955 and 1976. Nevertheless Kirchner called for "dialogue and not confrontation", but if discussions don't prosper the blame will fall on the "intolerant" farmers and their organizations, he warned. At the political rally virtually all of Mrs. Kirchner's cabinet was present, as well as faithful governors and 500 mayors, mainly from metropolitan Buenos Aires, the turf and grass roots of the current government's support. "It was with great pain to see that the most fortunate blocked routes and dumped the food of Argentines" said the former president in direct reference to the 21 day farmers' strike and road blocks. But some of the most radical farm protestors did speak up and said that "if he wants to play dirty, he might have a surprise". Twenty four hours before the meeting in Casa Rosada with the President "he should have said nothing about the situation", pointed out Pedro Apaolaza from the Buenos Aires and La Pampa provinces rural associations.