President Cristina Fernández said last night that “more than 50% of the National Bank of Argentina´s credits go to small and medium enterprises”, as informed by Télam on Wednesday.During a ceremony held at the National Bank ´s central building, the President announced the expansion of the loans destined to the agrarian sector for about 2,2 billion pesos and the opening of five new Argentine Agrarian Departments in New Delhi, Moscow, Ryad, Pretoria and Shangai.
Regarding this last item, the President said that the Departments shall be expanded also to the industrial sector, so as to have “the full chain of production represented”.
As to wheat trading, the principal Presidential announcement was the opening of credits for a total amount of 840 million pesos, to finance the value of up to 300 tons per producer, at a cero interest rate and with a 180-day term, to be funded by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The rest of the loans, within the so-called 400 line, shall finance mills, dairy farms, wines and the hog production.
President Cristina highlighted several times the National Bank´s performance and reminded that its Chairman, Juan Carlos Fábrega, joined the Bank 41 years ago.
Cristina added that her Government returned the Bank to the function for which it was created, to fund the development of productive activities in the Argentine Republic”.
She also said that the remaining institutions of the banking system must also finance investment and production, and not only consumption.
Cristina reminded that at the beginning of 2003 most of the National Bank´s loans went to the big corporations, while now 50% of them is destined to small and medium companies.
The President also referred to the meeting that the Minister of Agriculture is scheduled to hold with the rural organizations and said that the Minister of Labor should also attend it, to consider the situation of the rural workers.
Her request is related to recent journalistic investigations on the situation of semi-slavery to which some migrant rural workers are submitted in agrarian exploitations.
"The rural owners´ chambers must take an active participation in this issue so these places of human exploitation are eliminated”, Cristina said. “We are simply defending our country, not attacking anyone in particular”.
The President commented that “when these things happen, it is not simply for one sector´s fault. Proprietors are always seeking the highest profit, so the labor unions that represent farm workers must take an active participation in the defense of laborers”.
Cristina said that the Truck Drivers´ Union is an example of how the workers´ rights should be defended.
Source: Télam
