From the nineteenth century until today, the withholdings marked the relationship between the State, the countryside and the national economy by crossing stages of total elimination, reintroductions and confrontations.
The government announced the return of the zero retentions until October 31 For all grains, with the aim of guaranteeing fresh dollars and calming exchange volatility. The measure reopened a long data discussion: to what extent is this tribute a source of fiscal resources or a brake on the competitiveness of agriculture?
From Bartolomé Miter in 1862 Even the most recent measures, the export rights scheme went through total elimination stages, reintroductions in times of crisis, mobile systems and even social confrontations such as the remembered conflict of 2008.
Withholdings: how far the tax covers
Formally known as export rightsthe withholdings are taxes that are charged in the customs on foreign sales. The calculation is done taking the declared amounts and the current international price. In simple terms, they imply that The producer receives a lower value than that of the world market.
Harvest field withholdings
Depositphotos
This generates two main effects:
- on the one hand, tax revenues for the State;
- on the other, a decline in the domestic price of the product reached.
According to the Rosario trade stock marketnot having Argentina great influence on global prices, Retention ends up working as a direct cut to what producers perceive.
In addition, the aliquots have been the most varied. From fixed percentages that reached 40% In the years of greater pressure, until Specific sums in dollars for each ton exported. In some moments they applied to all cereals and oilseeds; In others, they were reduced or eliminated for specific crops such as wheat or corn, staying only in the soybean complex.
Chronology of withholdings in Argentina
corn field withholdings
Depositphotos
The story starts in the nineteenth century, under the government of Miter.
- 1862: Miter establishes the first export rights. Decades later, in 1940, the Iapi It became the key body to control foreign trade, acting as a single buyer of cereals and oilseeds.
- 1955: The self -denominated Liberating Revolution retentions of up to 25%.
- 1958; With Arturo Frondizi They adjusted again as part of a stabilization plan.
- Decade of 60: the aliquots moved between the 6.5% and 13%and with Krieger Vasena reached 25%.
- 70s: The figure of the “Special mobile rights” (1972), which They could not exceed 15% of the FOB value.
- 1987; Raúl’s government Alfonsín removed them in 1987 for wheat and cornbut the reimplanted in 1989 In full hyperinflation.
- 90s: With the Convertibility plan The withholdings disappeared almost completely, except for a 3.5% that remained for soybeans and sunflower. Calm lasted until 2002when the crisis returned them strongly: 10% for cereals and 13.5% for oilseeds, which then climbed 20 and 23.5%.
- 2007: The withholdings rose to 27.5% for soybeans.
- 2008: Conflict with the field by mobile withholdings.
- 2015: Partial elimination of withholdings and their return in 2018 under management Macri
- 2019-2020: He Front of all introduces modifications with percentages that ranged between 7% and 33%.
Source: Ambito
