MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mistrust climate in Argentine farmers and government dialogue

In a growing climate of mistrust Argentine farmers representatives and government officials agreed Tuesday to meet again Wednesday when they expect answers to several proposals, particularly an end to the temporary ban of wheat exports.

Farmers also complained that a top controversial official from President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's administration had been intimidating and threatening operators in the Liniers livestock market which supplies cattle to Buenos Aires processing plants. Guillermo Moreno is the man responsible for keeping under control the consumers price index in Argentina and has appealed to all resources in his crusade, from the time of former president Nestor Kirchner. He is known to have called food processing industry managers to his office at six in the morning with a gun on his desk to "persuade" them not to raise prices or provide similar products at lower prices. He is also responsible for having repeatedly sacked professional staff from Argentina's Statistics Office and replaced them with followers who have made official figures totally unreliable when not laughable. According to Moreno's INDEC inflation in Argentina last year was one digit, however the private sector, trade unions, even those who support the government, worked with estimates of 25% and increasing in the first quarter of 2008. Farmers claim this man was in Liniers trying to push, with unorthodox methods, the price of cattle down (and therefore the Argentine staple beef) and warning that in any future conflict they must ensure a fluid supply. "This is an unequivocal maneuver to play dirty, with the purpose of torpedoing the discussions that in good will and faith the President and farmers have initiated", said Javier Ordoqui who coordinates several farmers' groupings. "We're not satisfied or concerned about the meeting in itself. We'll wait until tomorrow afternoon for a reply to our proposals", he added pointing out it was positive that Mr. Moreno "was present at the meeting". The Argentine Agrarian Federation Vicepresident Ulises Forte claimed Moreno was in Liniers warning operators that if there's another camp strike "they must keep working and supplying the market with cattle". "We are under the impression there's no political will from the side of government representatives to keep advancing", admitted Forte who nevertheless said "we are exactly at mid point of the 30 day truce: farmers keep to their word and won't resume actions before the 30 days are over" Earlier in the day and before meeting with farmers at Government House cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez who chairs the round of talks publicly stated that "it's not easy to talk with farm leaders who forced a 21 day camp strike on the country and generated all kinds of food shortages for consumers". However he admitted that "we're more interested in a clean start" and in this context it's positive that "we can now concentrate on how to increase production". He added it was the first time, farmers had sent their experts "to listen to government proposals".