May 30, 2008

South American nations to discuss increasing food production
   

The Southern Agricultural Council, or CAS, signed a declaration of commitment to further stimulate food production in their respective countries on Thursday in Montevideo, Uruguay, according to Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture.

CAS was formed in 2003 and is made up of five South American countries: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. Ministers of Agriculture from each of these countries were present to discuss integration and exchange among the countries amid a global food crisis.

The ministers agreed to stimulate agricultural production and increase investments in technology used in food production.

The conference did not bring up issues on export curbs.

Argentina imposed wheat and beef exports recently causing Brazil, which relies heavily on wheat from the former, to cut import taxes on the grain to expand imports from alternative sources such as the US. Argentina is expected to account for more than 60 percent of Brazil's expected wheat import volumes of 6.2 million tonnes between Aug 07 and Jul 08, according to grain consultancy Safra & Mercado.