MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine farmer grass roots to decide on government deal

The Argentine government and farmers seem to have reached a deal just hours before the May 2 truce comes to an end. In exchange for liberating the wheat market and reopening the beef export registry, farmers will put the initiative to consideration, together with the extension of the truce, to their respective organizations.

The controversial sliding levies on grains and oilseed exports, which triggered the three weeks conflict in early March, are to be considered on Friday, announced Fernando Gioino, president of Coninagro on Wednesday who anticipated that further meetings to address a medium and long term project are scheduled for next Tuesday. The four organizations are expected to assess the new scenario with their internal committees before Friday May 2 and decide whether they return with protest pickets to highways or extend the deadline to give negotiations a further chance. However, Luciano Miguens, president of the Argentine Rural Society insisted that the truce "for the moment" will not be lifted. "Each organization will talk it over with its ruling council or commission". He underlined the importance of the opening of the export registry for beef, "which has been confirmed. We have been promised that between tomorrow and Friday exports will resume. It's one of the three to four points we have achieved". One of the crucial points for the government is the extension of the truce which according to Eduardo Buzzi from the Agrarian Federation is not entirely certain. "We want the country to pacify. But we squandered 30 days and this also conditions the situation. It's highly probable that protests will resume but not necessarily as a strike cutting highways and supplies. The type of protest will be considered by the different grass root groups". However he admitted that there was a discussions atmosphere, "which did not exist a month ago and this is very valuable, but change must follow, this is vital". Mario Llambías from CRA said that it was the duty of councils and boards to decide. "We'll take them the agreements reached: regarding wheat it complies with what was expected; beef is important, exports will reopen next Friday". However, "the export levies remain the big pending issue and I believe it has become highly political" and he added, "we must improve the quality of technical discussions". The meeting originally scheduled in Government House, Casa Rosada, was moved to the cabinet chief offices. Alberto Fernandez chairs the meetings together with Agriculture Secretary Javier de Urquiza.