In the framework of AgroActiva 2015 Expo, the International Business Round organized by ProCórdoba Agency with the technical and economic support of the Federal Investment Council (CFI) conducted 311 commercial interviews.
In this sense, fourteen international operators who participated in this activity met with 45 Argentine companies of the agricultural machinery and agroparts manufacturing sector. Of that total, 28 companies were from Córdoba, 13 companies were from Santa Fe and 4 companies were from Buenos Aires.
During the meetings, there was progress in terms of negotiations with the aim of carrying out operations, in the short and medium term, with representatives of Malaysia, Moldova, Serbia, Belarus, Germany, Bolivia, Brazil, Romania and Colombia.
Regarding the potential of Argentine output, Guillermo Preciado, representative of the Colombian National Federation of Rice Growers (FEDEARROZ) said: “In our country, we harvest and consume a lot of rice and you have an important technological development that is very useful for Colombian farmers because it makes our work more efficient." Moreover, he emphasized the importance of the know how transfer for the rice growers in the process of direct seeding, the monitoring of yields by means of the precision agriculture, the machinery for pesticide application and the processes of harvest storage.
Regarding business opportunities, Preciado said: “There are many short, medium and long term purchasing opportunities. My visit aimed at evaluating all the useful proposals for FEDEARROZ producers and analyzing their application in our country.”
The Manager of ProCórdoba Agency, Roberto Rossotto, confirmed that “Colombia is a strategic destination for the agricultural machinery” because this country “has the opportunity to extend the current seeding surface," which allows for increasing production through the incorporation and distribution of public lands to small producers.
In this sense, Boris Vázquez Campos, representative of Colvazca which is provider of Humanitarian Aid and Development entities, said: “Most of the producers who develope here address the different needs of Colombia. We carry along information to analyze because we have prospects for working together.”
The incorporation of public lands allows for harvesting vegetables, small fruits, and leguminous vegetables. To do so, Vázquez Campos needs planters, fertilizer spreaders, spraying machine and fodder harvesters. He said:
"I have realized that here we've found much of what we are looking for in our agriculture. The short, medium and long term business opportunities depend on the last analyses we make. I think that in 70 percent of the cases, an operation is going to be achieved."
On her part, Natallia Dren, representative of Belagromash S.A of the Republic of Belarus, said:
“At the moment, as our country, together with Kazakhstan and Russia, is a member of the Customs Union and as we are creating and establishing the single market with countries of the ex-Soviet Union, it would be of great interest to provide this large market with the Argentine products."
Dren highlighted that in her country the Argentine production is well-known and that “Argentine producers are the largest producers of cereals worldwide”. For this reason, she said that “their products can be very interesting for these markets.” The businesswoman is assessing the possibility of exporting know how and developing machinery linked to direct seeding in her country.
Russia as potential market
Likewise, in the framework of a strategic work for the development of the Russian market on the part of the Argentine agricultural sector (machinery and technology), ProCórdoba Agency allowed for the participation of Russian technicians and businessmen who held technical and institutional meetings. Among the organizations that hosted businessmen, it is important to highlight the participation of the National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA), the Association of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers of Córdoba (AFAMAC), Foreign Office through its Foreign Trade Support Program (PDCEX) and Export Groups of Córdoba in the field of animal genetics and fodder.
In the framework of this work, a technical institutional visit to Russia will be carried out in the short term to show the offer and business opportunities of Argentine companies to institutions, organizations and businessmen of that country, with the possibility of participating in the most important agricultural fairs of Moscow and Krasnodar.
What is more, in this edition there was a proposal of talks and exhibitions linked to direct seeding on the part of the National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA). Meanwhile, ProCórdoba, together with the Association of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers of Córdoba (AFAMAC), organized 24 visits to companies that were strategically selected according to the international demands.
Survey Results
From the study of ProCórdoba Agency, the foreign companies that participated in the business round confirmed that they project purchases, in the long and medium term, mainly linked to the acquisition of new technologies and the development of new products or new clients.
Moreover, companies from Córdoba confirmed that the five most attractive visiting countries are Colombia, Moldova, Germany, Bolivia and Romania.
About the business round
The meetings were conducted from 10th to 12th June in the Hall of ProCórdoba. This is the 10th consecutive year in which the Agency for export promotion of the Province of Córdoba, together with the CFI, organizes the International Business Round in the framework of AgroActiva. To do so, work is undertaken jointly with the Argentine Embassies and the Foreign Office in the meeting aimed at foreign operators.
What is more, in this edition there was a proposal of talks and exhibitions linked to direct seeding on the part of the National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA). Meanwhile, ProCórdoba Agency together with the Association of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers of Córdoba (AFAMAC) organized visits to companies that were strategically selected according to the international demands.
