New import system in Argentina dispenses import licenses
Argentina will export soy and beef produced in deforestation-free areas to Spain. Starting in December, the first cargos of soy flour will be sent to Spain, continuing throughout 2024. The announcement was made through a presentation by the Chamber of the Petroleum Industry and the Cereal Export Center at the Argentine Embassy in Madrid, Spain, where they described details about the soy flour certified by Control Unión and with ViSeC traceability, the platform that certifies the “Deforestation Free” of Argentine products. (CIARA; CEC)
Floods cause losses in corn and soybean production in Argentina. In a report, the Rosário Stock Exchange highlighted that 95% of prime corn and 75% of soybeans are in excellent to very good condition, however, excessive rain has occurred in some areas, where lost and at-risk lots were reported. To date, 5% of second-class soybeans will have to be replanted and the same amount remains to be planted. The early corn area was also lost due to flooding. There is also a delay in planting. “Only 62% of second-quality soybeans are planted and 380 thousand ha remain”, explains the report. In the case of late corn, 55% were planted, with 230 thousand ha remaining to be planted. (BCR)
President Javier Milei introduced a new import system in the country, the Statistical System of Imports – SEDI, which dispenses import licenses and eliminates obstacles to trade, taking into account the provisions of the WTO and other previously approved trade agreements. The objective is to facilitate and speed up imports into the country. The old system (SIRA) had been implemented by Sergio Massa during his tenure at the Ministry of Economy. The new system directly impacts Brazil, since Argentina is the country’s second largest trading partner. (Ministry of Economy)
Suzano signed a contract to acquire forestry assets for US$ 371 million. The transaction refers to 70 thousand ha of land in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, managed by BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group. Around 50 thousand ha of the purchased land are considered “useful” and part of the area has eucalyptus plantations of varying ages, according to the company. (Suzano)
Sugarcane crushing and sugar production are breaking records in the 2023/24 harvest in central-southern Brazil. According to the Sugarcane Industry Union, the industry benefited from a favorable climate, investments by the mill industry, and recovery in yield, which resulted in 638.4 million tonnes, an increase of 18.29% in sugarcane crushing compared to the same period in 2022. This volume already exceeds the best performance in history, of 617.7 million tonnes from the complete 2015/16 harvest, despite the end of the cycle only being at the end of March 2024. (Unica)
Agribusiness became a target for hackers and corresponds to 10% of ransomware attacks in 2023 in Brazil. In this type of attack, criminals break into systems and kidnap data, demanding a cash ransom in exchange for granting access to the affected information or systems. (Apura Cyber Intelligence S/A)
Wheat exports are expected to reach 512.3 thousand tonnes in December, according to projections by the National Association of Cereal Exporters. If the estimates are confirmed, exports will be lower compared to the same period in 2022, which corresponded to around 689 thousand tonnes. Regarding the amount for the year, projections are 2.5 million tonnes, against 3.2 million tonnes in 2022. (Anec)
Chile and the European Union signed the Advanced Framework Agreement (AMA) that modernizes the current Association Agreement, in force since 2003. The new agreement will increase the percentage of products with European Union tariff reduction, from 94.7 % to 99.6%. In addition, it will expand the recognition of geographical indications for Chilean agricultural products and will have chapters dedicated to Gender and Trade, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Sustainable Food Systems, Digital Commerce, Energy and Raw Materials. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
1,566 farmers in the Maule region who were affected by floods during the month of August received productive rehabilitation bonuses. At a regional level, a total of US$ 5.9 million was distributed. The Undersecretary of Agriculture, Ignacia Fernández, explained that “There are bonuses between one and five million pesos [about US$ 1 to US$ 5 thousand] that are given based on the assessment we made of the economic loss they suffered. It is a support that will allow them to replant and rebuild themselves for the next season.” (Ministerio de Desarrollo Social e Familia)
Mexico renewed, for another year, the “Paquete contra la inflation y la famine” (Package Against Inflation and Famine – PACIC), published by President Andrés Obrador on 12/27. The measure aims to help combat inflation in the country and exempts the import tax applied to food products, such as poultry meat, pork and beef, corn, rice, and eggs. The measure benefits imports from Brazil and strengthens the commercial relationship between the countries. This year, the country ranked as the second main destination for Brazilian agricultural exports in Latin America, totaling around US$ 2.26 billion, with more than 90% of this value corresponding to products benefiting from the PACIC package. (Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture)
The provinces of Ucayali and Loreto in Peru have extended the phytosanitary emergency due to the presence of the bacteria Xanthomonas citri until December 31, 2024. Changes were also made to the resolution that determines the sanitary measures to be adopted, such as, for example, prohibiting the transport of plants or citrus fruits and their parts from places where the disease is detected, elimination of seedlings and diseased plants, and integrated management of the disease, including cultural management and use of copper-based bactericides. (Senasa)
Aldo Galli is one of the Peruvians recognized by MIT Technology Review for presenting an innovative solution that uses agricultural waste, such as coconut shells, to improve water filtration and purification. Coconut shell is used as a sustainable and efficient raw material for the production of activated carbon using processes that increase its porosity and adsorption capacity. The resulting material can filter contaminating compounds in gases or liquids, including viruses, bacteria, algae, and pesticides, and is already used by factories and refineries. (MIT Technology Review)
Nine regions in the center and south of the country are in emergency due to the water deficit caused by El Niño received 705 irrigation kits by the Rural Agricultural Productive Development Program of the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation. (Government of Peru)
READ MORE:
Why Is There a Delay in Fertilizer Purchases for 2024 in Brazil?