MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina’s top agro-show opens with strong criticism of government farm policies

Nevertheless, President Cristina Fernandez is welcome, said SRA head Biolcati

The head of the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) Hugo Biolcati blasted the national and provincial governments economic policies towards the agricultural sector during his opening remarks at the inauguration of the 126 annual edition of the entity’s exhibition held at La Rural pavilion in Palermo, Buenos Aires City.

This year’s edition of the traditional Palermo agro-show, Argentina’s most important, is convened under the motto “the future is now”. The twelve hectares grounds in Buenos Aires have a display of 500 stands plus 4.500 animals that will be disputing for the best cattle, sheep and horse prizes from the different breeds and categories.

Special events this year include a 3D documentary that enables visitors to tour camp activities and other farming activities such as poultry and the honey industry. Holders of android cellular phones or tablets will be able to unload free a GPS display of camp activities and for tablets the agenda with the chronogram and conferences during the two weeks long show.

Earlier, however the rural leader told the press that President Cristina Fernández was “welcomed” to attend the event. “If she came to La Rural, she would be applauded” adding that her participation in the event would be a “much appreciated gesture”.

He explained, nonetheless, that her absence could be seen as an act of contempt. “It would show a disdainful relationship between the sector and the national government,” he explained.

During his speech Biolcati demanded “clear rules and a predictable mid and long term horizon” for camp activities and complained bitterly about the “asphyxiating tax pressure” and recalled that the government confiscatory intervention in the sector “is in its sixth year”.

“It is clear to anybody rational that the resource soil and water is subsidizing the federal, provincial and local governments’ misbalances, For us camp people the future is now and we are asking those who have the destinies of the nation in their hands that they allow for the whole of Argentina that the future is today”, said the farmers’ leader.

During his remarks Biocalti also blasted the national administration for the current import curbs and dollar clamp which he said “clearly has confiscatory effects”.

“They have been discouraging the wheat harvesting for six years and now, thanks to the import curbs, they generate even broader hassles,” Biocalti complained.

The SRA head also enjoyed the opportunity to express the sector’s discomfort with the Buenos Aires province’s rural properties tax hike. “Those taxes add up to the already asphyxiating pressure the sector endures,” he said referring to the controversial provincial tax hike imposed by province of Buenos Aires Governor Daniel Scioli’s administration.