The most controversial party in the ruling coalition voted in favor of a grape industrialization plant that would cost 1.3 million dollars.
Within the framework of the Accountability, Open Town Hall – led by senator Guido Manini Rios – supported a provision of the Wide Frontpresented at the House of Representativeswhich establishes the installation of a grape industrialization plant for the production of concentrated must, grape sugar and juice that would cost 1.3 million dollars and generate inconveniences within the Multicolor Coalition that governs Uruguay.
Through article 225 and promoted by the deputy of the Wide Front, Nelson Larzabala provision was presented in the House of Representatives that was supported by Town meeting and that it was not integrated into the original wording of the Accountability. This article establishes that the installation of a grape industrialization plant with the objective of supporting and “safeguarding” the smallest producers, which was promoted by National Center of Winegrowers of Uruguay in Parliament.
In the project, the National Institute of Viticulture (Inavi) to carry out a public call for the installation of the wine industrialization plant that would be used for the production of concentrated must, juice and grape sugar. On the other hand, the institute would set a annual percentage of production to allocate it to that plant that would have to be greater than six million kilos. With this, Uruguayan wineries would be supplied for the oenological corrections of their wines.
The value of the plant would cost about 1.3 million dollars and has the objective of protecting small producers, as established by the senator lobbyist, Guillermo Domenechduring the debate of the project in the Upper House in the Budget and Finance Commission. “It is about defending the small producer, so that he can sell at more reasonable prices,” explained the senator.
In that sense, Domenech assured that “it is an idea that can reverse this trend towards concentration of ownership trade in which Uruguay is embarked”, something that he highlights as “evident” regarding the reality that there are interest bids.
What did the coalition say?
This project was attempted to promote Deputies by the party of Manini Riosbut it was not successful, that is why they joined the provision when it was presented by the Wide Front. With this, the coalition reacted, once again, against the actions of the most rebellious party in the ruling union.
The deputy for National Party, Rodrigo Blasestablished that the project has a very bad writing and characterized it as “unintelligible.” On the other hand, he questioned the idea that a certain amount of product would be compulsorily removed from the market and then set a price. “It is one of the worst solutions that we can imagine in a liberal economy,” he remarked.
On the other hand, the senator for the Colorado Party and former Minister of the Environment, Adrian Penaestablished that the measure will end up harming the sector that it aims to help and requested that the text be withdrawn from the Senate. “It’s like shooting yourself in the foot,” said the senator.
Source: Ambito
