China's strong interest in the Rosario agro-industrial cluster and the waterway

ROSARIO.- In the perspective of the new investments of Chinese companies in the agro-industrial complex of Rosario and the waterway, the vice-prime minister of this country, Hu Chunhua, went with his delegation to the stock exchange. this city (BCR), where he had talks with the secretary of the government of the agrifood sector of the nation, Luis Miguel Etchevehere, the governor of Santa Fe, Miguel Lifschitz and representatives of the productive sector.

Hu Chunhua expressed the "deep" impression that emerged after a field visit with INTA experts and badured that there was significant potential to strengthen and expand agricultural cooperation between Argentina and China.

The meeting, which was held in the central building of the Stock Exchange, had a well-defined protocol, although Chunhua's visit to the heart of agro-industrial production was interpreted by the sector's referents as a gesture of A deep interest in this country. agribusiness in an encouraging environment with a soybean and corn crop that BCR estimates will be the largest in the last decade.

For several months, versions that indicated the interest of the Chinese company Shanghai Dredging Company to participate in the process of dredging and marking of the Paraná-Paraguay waterway, currently in the hands of Hidrovía SA, whose partner Gabriel Romero, owner Emepa signature, is part of the lot of businessmen repentant to the cause of notebooks.

The concession of the waterway expires in 2021, but the specifications of the new tender are already being badyzed by the government. If the Chinese company presented itself to treat the dredging and the marking of the so-called "river road" which spread over more than 3 400 kilometers, it would be added to another Chinese company already established in the region, such as than Cofco.

Etchevehere, responsible for the opening of the meeting, reviewed the characteristics of the country's agricultural activity by focusing on the port node of Gran Rosario, "from where 80 % of the country's grain production is exported. "

Raúl Meroi, chairman in charge of the stock market, said: "It is a favorable meeting to promote the growth of bilateral trade between the two countries, as well as to promote other important cooperation projects already in place. , for example in terms of infrastructure, clean energy and agriculture.

"We expect strong growth in grain and oilseed, meat, poultry and hog production in the coming years, which will significantly increase our participation in global agricultural trade. of 10 years, Argentina will be able to produce food for 600 million people, continued Meroi.

"The opening of the Chinese market to the purchase of chilled meat with or without bone, and the cherries and honeys are going in the right direction of trade integration of the two countries", he said. -he declares. And he explained: "This integration continues in a phase of horizontal expansion, characterized by a greater supply of Argentine products in the Chinese market, but these must move to a second phase, integration vertical, where the focus is on value added.The biggest challenge is to add value to our primary production sales. "

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Governor Lifschitz highlighted "Chinese investments in Santa Fe, such as Cofco's participation in the Nidera acquisition in 2017, the world's leading precision agriculture, development and marketing company. seed certification ". In 2018, Chinese capitals allocated resources for the acquisition of fixed badets in refrigerated warehouses located in the province and expressed interest in participating in public-private partnership projects related to the development of infrastructure in the sector. communications and transport ".

Rodolfo Rossi, member of the Soybean Chain Association (Acsoja), presented the main benchmarks of soybean production in Argentina since its inception, as well as the prospects for evolution for years to come. At the same time, Sergio Gancberg, representative of the Chamber of the Petroleum Industry and Exporters Center (Ciara-CEC), presented the characteristics of the local oil industry, detailed the quality of the production and discussed the country's tariff policy. Asian country.