March 18, 2009
Argentina farm, government negotiations still impasse
Talks with the government Tuesday (March 17) failed to break a deadlock in negotiations and no progress had been made on the key issues affecting the sector, leaders of Argentina's four top farm groups said after leaving the meeting Tuesday.
Argentine Agrarian Federation president Eduardo Buzzi said that the farmers would turn to the legislature for help regarding the sticking points, presumably the export tax on grains.
Buzzi and the other farmers spoke briefly after leaving the talks, but they have scheduled a press conference for about 6:30 p.m. local time (2130 GMT) to elaborate on the results of the negotiations.
The meeting was the fourth in as many weeks between the farmers and Production Minister Debora Giorgi and Interior Minster Florencio Randazzo.
The government has made a number of concessions regarding farm exports and subsidies, but has refused to budge on the farmers' key demand for a reduction of grain-export taxes.
Farmers are lobbying the Congress to lower the taxes, but don't appear likely to be able to muster the votes needed at this point.
