CDA Argentina 2024 - Present and future of input distribution discussed

The second edition of the Congress of Agricultural Distributors of Argentina, held this week in the capital, Buenos Aires, brought together more than 1,500 participants from the commercial chain to analyze the present and future of input distribution.

Amid expectations and uncertainties, major brands observed a "cool" business environment in Argentina with the beginning of a new government.

"The only way forward for us as a country is one where the State decreases, with zero fiscal deficit, and where we, as individuals, are the ones who invest and produce. We continue to advance, research, and generate new technologies with new products," reflected the president of Rizobacter, Ricardo Yapur.

According to him, the government "should not do what corresponds to the private sector. The State should provide security, education, and healthcare, and we should generate the rest."

Yapur explained that the current situation of farmers is "complex" because there are many doubts and uncertainties before the new harvest.

However, he said, "In the end, the producer is an optimistic person, who also ends up planting and producing, because those who invest between USD 500 and 1,000 per hectare 'in the open air' always hope that something better will happen along the way."

Meanwhile, Alvaro Moreno, KWS Marketing Manager, expressed optimism, stating that his company will continue to launch new seed technologies.

The executive mentioned that Spiroplasma, which causes the complex of diseases known as corn stunting, is the "big challenge they are working on a lot."

Regarding the market, he stated that with the constant climate changes, input prices, the Dollar, diseases, and socio-political realities, the Argentine producer is "resilient and admirable."

Gustavo Portis, director of Basf Argentina, argued that "agriculture is a key factor in development that, regardless of particular situations, continues to be the driving force of growth in Argentina."

"Our company works considering the solutions necessary for the crop to be increasingly profitable and sustainable in the system," he said.

"We all expect decisions to continue to be made that impact the country’s economic and financial movement. Now the commercial climate is cool, but regardless, at Basf, we work in over 70 countries and we have learned the trick of adapting to each case," Portis concluded.

The Argentine agrochemical company Agrofina also sees opportunities ahead: "We know that soon the country will be much more open, which will make it easier to achieve an excellent level of competitiveness," said Nahuel Lo Cane, the company’s general manager.

"We will continue to grow in supplying solutions for the Argentine field, from Argentina," stated the synthetic molecule formulation company executive within the Los Grobo group.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)