In this way, in addition to Bangladesh, where the Foreign Ministry took more than 20 businessmen, eyes are on the Asian markets. “These are countries that, although they have a way to go in social matters, at the same time have a very strong growth dynamic, which incorporates millions of people and this has an impact on consumption, and in particular on increasingly differential demands”, explained the official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship.
In fact, the reopening of the Argentine Embassy in Dacca, put into operation in 1974 and then closed during the military dictatorship, involved a dozen businessmen, companies in the food sector and even the pharmaceutical sector, such as Marolio, Havanna, Arcor, Cargill and Vetanco, where they managed more than 300 meetings. But prior to arrival in that country, the Foreign Ministry had held a trade fair in Dubai, with a record participation of more than 130 Argentine businessmen. “Many of the companies that were in the United Arab Emirates later traveled to Saudi Arabia, where they are today, as part of the more than 300 actions that the Foreign Ministry has for this 2023,” explained Merediz.
Currently, Argentina maintains a surplus trade relationship with Bangladesh. The commercial exchange during all of 2022 was US$ 765 millionof which US$742.9 were Argentine exports, while US$22.1 million were imports, so the surplus amounted to US$720.8 million.
Merediz anticipated that the commercial relationship will expand, along with an increase in exports in two ways. On the one hand, due to a diversification in the exportable offer. Argentina mainly sells oil and soybean meal. As they commented to this newspaper, They will seek to expand food sales, from noodles, yerba and even dulce de leche, but also in other sectors, such as the pharmaceuticaland promote cooperation in the field of sports, satellite and humanitarian aid.
“It was spectacular for the businessmen, they said that the commercial tour is exceeding their expectations. The Piporé yerba firm already exports to India and will surely manage to reach Bangladesh. The Havanna executives, who are already in Europe, went with the objective of selling products and even offered them the possibility of opening stores,” revealed Merediz. This Monday there were commercial meetings, which will continue this Tuesday.
In addition, the other strategy will be to improve the commercial flow. An agreement will be signed this Tuesday at the Argentine Embassy in Dacca It is going to improve the purchase management mechanism by Bangladesh, an acquisition scheme that will allow sales to increase, since it was a requirement that Argentine companies were asking for. The management will be done with a public company of the government of Bangladesh that demands food. “With the war in Ukraine, Argentina has become a safe and reliable supplying country,” explained Merediz.
In the Foreign Ministry they assure that the efforts for the reopening began in early 2022, prior to the soccer World Cup, when the videos of celebrations with the population of Bangladesh who were fans of the national team went viral. Without a doubt, They ensure that the “soft power” soccer mode also works. “You have to take advantage of the national team’s brand and the opportunity that football opens up, it’s a historical link, the affection they have for Argentina is very emotional, you see a lot of shirts on the street, they also stop you to talk to you about Messi,” he said. Merediz.
When asked if Bangladesh will seek to increase its exports to Argentina, being a country with a very strong sales platform in textiles, Merediz assured: “We are open to generating exchange actions, but it is not the scheme that is being worked on today. Due to its productive structure, Bangladesh is looking for many Argentine products”.
Asian markets
According to foreign trade experts, Argentina has more than 100 diplomatic representations, but in Southeast Asia there are only 6 embassies, and the main world export destinations began to concentrate in these economies. in dialogue with Ambit, Federico VaccarezzaCEO of FOB Consultores and professor of international trade at the Austral University, explained: “For Argentina, South-South trade is the most important, since agri-food protectionism and subsidies in developed countries prevent us from further developing those markets. Today, trade with developing economies is more important for Argentina than with developed countries.”
It is that in the future, the demand for food, the current main export complex, will be the one that will grow the least in Western markets such as the United States and Europe. While it will do so in continents such as Africa or East Asia, which currently have a large population, low GDP per capita, but expectations of growth and increased food consumption.
Anyway, Vaccarezza scored two challenges that the situation marks. “We can be left out of opportunities because today there is nothing to offer, as a consequence of the droughtin January 42% less agrifoods were exported in quantities compared to the same month of the previous year,” said the economist. In addition, he referred to the geopolitics: “Our trade scheme also determines the alliance scheme. That is why Brazil is in the BRICS, and not in the OECD. Unfortunately for the moment, as a consequence of the financial obligations we have with multilateral organizations, we cannot think of an autonomous strategy like that of Brazil, but we must take advantage and take the best of both parties, from relations with developed countries and with developing countries, including Southeast Asia”.
Source: Ambito
