Argentine Government Proposes Stricter Oversight of Entire Food-Production Chain--British Empire Faction Goes Nuts
On the eve of the celebration of Argentina's
independence from Spain, declared on May 25, 1810, the government
of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is organizing to achieve
another form of independence--from the British Empire's grip on
the marketing of agricultural products. The daily {Pagina 12}
reported today that the government is aggressively promoting a
bill to expand the powers of the state's National Agricultural
Trade Control Office (Oncca) "to ensure greater intervention into
the food chain" to guarantee food security.
The new agency, known by the slightly different acronym
Onccaa, would be empowered to buy and sell agro products--mostly
grains--keep domestic food prices low, and combat monopolistic
and oligopolistic action. It would purchase food crops from
farmers, paying them a fair price, and export them abroad, as
well. In other words, oversee all aspects of the agricultural
production chain.
Significantly, the government has designated Cong. Alberto
Cantero, whose recent interview with Argentine LYM leader
Emiliano Andino was published in {EIR} magazine, as the point man
to ensure that this new agency goes into operation as quickly as
possible. Cantero is Chairman of the Agricultural and Livestock
Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, and will be hammering out
the details of the bill on May 26-27.
For British financier interests, the idea of a state-
controlled regulatory agency, with the power to monitor all
aspects of agricultural marketing, raises the specter of the
National Grain Board or the Argentine Institute for the Promotion
of Trade (IAPI) created by Juan Peron in 1946, whose regulatory
powers greately hampered grain cartels' operations in the
country.
Predictably, the City of London mouthpiece {Urgente24}
threw a rug-chewing fit today, ranting that the government wants
to "recreate the failed National Grain Board and National Beef
Board... all bureaucratic, corrupt and inefficient structures."
In fact, the government's bill sounds quite efficient: it
proposes to offer progressive improvements to favor food
producers, distributors, and businessmen, as well as low-income
consumers, seeking to increase the supply and availability of
corn, wheat, beef, and milk, which would help especially small
and medium-sized producers. With its own budget, and operating
under the jurisdiction of the Finance Ministry, Onccaa would
ensure that farmers were paid fair prices, and take control of
purchasing grains, should this become necessary. For example, it
could purchase the 6 million tons consumed in the internal
market, and then sell this amount to mills, avoiding any middle
man, and guaranteeing a reasonable price for flour.
Very important too is Onccaa's plan to maintain a database
on agro production, warehousing, processing, marketing, and
distribution. Such a map would allow the government to know in
advance of any potential conflicts between supplying food at
reasonable prices and meeting international commitments. It will
be able to know who produces what, and where food is warehoused.
This is crucial to guarantee food security, in the context of the
current global food crisis.
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