The dairy sector, a development programme and workers participation

 

A numerous delegation from ATILRA, on behalf of Argentina’s dairy workers, took part in the public release of the Draft for the Work Programme of the Dairy Subsecretariat. The event was last Thursday (18) at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing

 

 

The welcoming speech was delivered by the vice-minister of agriculture, Mr. Lorenzo Basso. “The government’s objective is not only leaving an organized office but also to ensure that every sector has a Plan defined. The dairy sector has the PEL programme (“Plan Estratégico de la Cadena Láctea Argentina 2020” – Strategic Plan for Argentina’s Dairy Chain 2020); which will require review for generating a new Plan to include other variants. Such plan must ensure the participation of all sectors, and you (ATILRA) should be part of the decisions”, said the vice-minister.  

 

The Dairy Undersecretary, Arturo Jorge Videla, emphasized that the Draft of the Work Programme of that agency “defines four axes to guide dairy policy from our subsecretariat. The Draft is to be submitted to the Federal Dairy Council which includes the main dairy provinces and their corresponding authorities (who have been presented with the draft work and are currently interacting with us), and the main actor for which this work is intended: the dairy farmers, particularly those working in small and medium scale establishments, upon consideration that many of them carry out their activity on rented land. We deem it fundamental to define policies and achieving political decisions to support those producers, who will be the ones guaranteeing milk production as well as the jobs of the dairy industry and the dairy sector in general”.

 

Videla also stated that the objectives of this Plan not only include the protection of jobs but also the possibility of multiplying them. He also expressed that “the Plan needs to be as articulate as possible, and calls for political definitions to allow repositioning the sector with a medium and long term perspective, but most of all it should guarantee the existence of small and medium dairy farmers, the production itself, and the jobs implied, based on a strong and competitive industry to develop into a significant player in the international market, apart from providing the full supply of the internal market.”  

 

 

The National Director of Sectorial Strategic Planning, Mr. Roberto Enrique Socin, was the one in charge of presenting the Draft for the Work Programme of the Dairy Subsecretariat.  

 

In the report, the Dairy Subsecretariat admits the fact that the sector has undergone a profound concentration process, as is the case in many countries, apart from a worrisome loss in the number of dairy farmers. “20 years ago, Argentina had approximately 50 thousand milking units which are now reduced to 10 or 11 thousand” said Socin.

 

“But despite this situation, the dairy activity ranks sixth in generation of manpower and it is the fourth activity where income is better re-distributed”, he added.

 

He also pointed out that the dairy activity implies people settling in the countryside, which is not the case of soy. “The existence of dairy activity means that there will be people and towns there”, he said.

 

Héctor Ponce, ATILRA’s general secretary, pointed out the commitment by the Ministry to involve all actors in designing the Plan. “This Plan’s sustainability will depend on the participation and compromise by all those who are part of the dairy sector, and should go beyond the expectations of a government to become a State policy.”

 

Lastly, the Dairy Subsecretariat agreed to being part of the International Meeting of the IUF’s Dairy Sector, by presenting the profile of its Work Programme at that event to take place in Buenos Aires and Sunchales between March 9 and 12.