Sergio Massa had promised to close the Coninagro Annual Congress last Tuesday, but failed. And the president of the institution, Carlos Iannizzotto, did not forgive him.

Calm down Carlo. I’ll trade Congress for lunch. “the minister told him.

And in the body that brings together the cooperatives and is very strong in the regional economies, they got to work: they convened all the owners of cooperatives who together invoice 15 billion dollars and employs 150,000 people. They prepared a frugal lunch this noon.

When they were already seated at the table, Massa called them: “I I will fail again but I send my best officials, Jorge Neme, Jorge Solmi and the secretary Juan José Bahillo ”. Iannizzotto scolded him harshly. Massa eventually went, but to the cafe.

In what was a pleasant and relaxed conversation, according to several participants, the minister confessed to them that he was immobile firm in the intention not to devalue. I am not an economist, but I am a politician with a lot of insight”, He released as soon as he arrived at the historic Coninagro headquarters in via Lavalle.

“We live in a situation of so many urgencies, but I have faith in myself “, He added.

The members of the cooperative told him that they represent 30% of production and that, while understanding his firmness in not devaluing, they described to him that suffer a strong loss of competitiveness in regional products with costs such as logistics increasing at the rate of the blue dollar.

“We are not asking for devaluation, but you can lower taxes, part of the withholding or VAT refund and it helps us export more, ”they suggested.

The administrators of ACA, the main grain exporter, were on point. “The soybean dollar doesn’t work, it wouldn’t be better to take it straight $ 180 or $ 200 and the foreign currency you need will arrive, “they said.

Massa promised them to do something and immediately responded with an expected measure, that is extension of biodiesel cut by 12.5%something that improves the demand for cereals and their prices.

As soon as the coffee was finished, Secretary Bahillo announced it in a tweet. The members of the cooperative summarize: “With Martín Guzmán we did not go beyond his secretary, with Massa at least we drank a long coffee, but there are other precautions that must be taken and They can’t wait for tomorrow, it’s now. “