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Argentina: Mendoza invests in a surface increase program

03/09/2020

2020 WPTC congress
François-Xavier Branthôme
TOMATE 2000
Argentina,
South America
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A credit line of EUR 1 million for tomato growers

According to an official press release from the government of the province of Mendoza, the Ministry of Economy and Energy has launched a new financing plan for industrial tomato growers, under which 90 million Argentine pesos (ARS) (around EUR 1 million or USD 1.24 million) will be invested to increase the surfaces planted with processing tomatoes in Mendoza.
Growers will be allocated credits of up to ARS 150 000 (EUR 1 745 or USD 2 060) for each new hectare planted, with a cap of ARS 3 million (EUR 35 000 or USD 41 300) per producer. A 20% increase in cultivated area is expected in the province. These amounts can be repaid in three installments from April 2021.
 
The details of the operation were explained to the members of the Tomate 2000 Association by Minister of Economy and Energy, Enrique Vaquié, as well as by the Undersecretary for Industry and Trade, Alejandro Zlotolow.

During this meeting, Minister of Economy and Energy Enrique Vaquié commented: “This is a very important effort that the Province is making in order to help […] primary growers of the tomato industry. With this proposal, we are seeking […] to focus on the south of the province (San Rafael and General Alvear).”

“In 2019, 11 901* tonnes of processed tomato products were exported and 33 322 tonnes were imported. Covering Argentina's domestic demand would require an increase of 2 600 hectares nationwide. The main objective of this approach is to increase the area cultivated with tomatoes for processing on the local territory, and we hope to reach a total of 600 further hectares thanks to this operation,” stated Valentina Navarrofor, in charge of agricultural affairs for the province.

“The revolving fund credits are intended to provide financing to processing tomato growers who are members of the Tomate 2000 Association and who wish to increase their cultivated area compared to the 2019/20 season. Growers who do not benefit from the Tomate 2000 scheme and new growers who wish to start in this sector can also access the program, provided that they comply with the conditions stated in the regulation and are located within the territory of the province of Mendoza,” added the government representative.

Orestes Nomikos, Vice-president of the Tomate 2000 Association, stressed that the sector needs to invest to increase productivity and improve profitability. “Regardless of the fact that we have been fortunate this year to experience snowfall, we need to invest in pressure irrigation. We need to strive for the highest possible productivity, otherwise the business is not profitable.”

Some complementary data
*: According to the figures collected by Trade Data Monitor LLC, Argentine exports of tomato products in 2019 amounted to 9 284 mT (9 440 mT in 2019/2020). Imports amounted to 31 800 mT in 2019.  

 
 
 

The WPTC congress in Argentina is postponed to 7-11 March 2022

The WPTC has been continuously monitoring the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in relation to the Congress which was to be held in San Juan, Argentina, on 15-18 March 2020.
The WPTC and the Government of San Juan have decided to postpone the 14th World Processing Tomato Congress and the 16th ISHS Symposium. The event has been rescheduled for 7-11 March 2022.

This decision comes after much thoughtful consideration on the part of our team and the Government of San Juan, as well as the necessity to comply with the directives of the WHO and local health authorities.
Please do re-book your tickets according to the new dates, as well as re-organizing your plans outside the Congress itself.

A feature article on the Argentina tomato processing industry was written for publication in the 2020 Processed Tomato Yearbook which was due to be distributed at the congress in March 2020. 

As the congress is finally not taking place in 2020, the Tomato News Team has decided not to print the yearbook, but to make the 80-page publication available on the website for all our readers.

You can access the yearbook HERE

Source: prensa.mendoza.gov.ar

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