The exchange difference with Argentina It was one of the phenomena with the greatest impact on the Uruguayan economy and was felt mainly on the coast, with a 50% decrease in the sales of the supermarkets, According to an estimate of the Supermarket Association of Uruguay (TO ITS).
ASU general manager Daniel Menendez, He admitted in dialogue with Telenoche that, despite the level of inflation, The sector has no room to update values. “If companies wanted to raise our price list, we can’t take it because we don’t sell. The competition is very tough next to Argentina”, expressed about the price gap.
About this situation, Menendez admitted that it generated an increase in workers in unemployment insurance, since the main objective is “not to close stores.”
At the same time, he assessed that there was a recovery in December in businesses nationwide, compared to October and November “when people bought thinking about the holidays, added to the merchandise that enters illegal”.
The measures taken by the government to alleviate the situation
The government carried out a series of measures to mitigate the effects of the exchange difference and the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) sent weeks ago to Parliament a document where he highlighted, among other aspects, the “tax relief” granted for micro and small businesses of the border area, benefiting 5,816 companies, reaching a total of 241.6 million pesos.
Another important measure was reduction of Imesi in fuels on the border, which since June 1 has reached 40% on the coast and in the northern area, which borders Brazil, The reduction remained at 24%.
Other aspects highlighted by the MEF were UTE bonus to the fixed charge and power electricity rates that will remain until April, the distribution of Solidarity Days in the departments with the highest unemployment and the subsidy to 34 companies that hired 63 coastal residents under the program Groups in a Situation of Social Vulnerabilitywith an expenditure of 2,932,390 pesos.
In turn, as of October, the Executive established that micro, small and medium-sized companies located up to 60 kilometers from land border crossings with Argentina and Brazil, who are dedicated to retail trade, can access guarantees of the National Guarantee System (SIGA)paying a single discounted commission of 0.6% annually, for working capital loans of up to 48 months.
Source: Ambito
