The two main obstacles that the different sectors of the local economy see

On What can become the impact of that “long -awaited agreement, referents from different sectors of the economy consulted by Clarin, gave their opinion:

For the head of the Argentine Chamber of Commerce (CAC), Mario Grinman, “You have to open up to the world” and estimates that “The agreement would be very advantageous” for Argentina. However, he warns that “It is complex to define the impact Because its implementation is not easy: on the one hand, it requires the approval of the congresses of both countries. And, in addition, we As members of Mercosur, we are obliged to sign block agreements ”he explains.

According to the businessman’s vision“Actually, Mercosur never worked as it should have done itnot even as a customs union. Argentina has only about 20 free trade agreements, of which 13 are from Mercosur. It is not comparable to Chile, which has more than 700 agreements with countries. That is what there is searching: trade with everyone ”, Add. And remember that, In the last 40 years, Argentina fell from the 33rd position 55 at the export level. Therefore, “you have to open up to the world, it would be advantageous,” insisted the manager.

An INAI document, the cereal stock exchange area that deals with international trade issues extracted The “opportunities” that open to the Argentine countryside from a potential agreement. “It could bring a Better international insertion quality For our agroindustrial chain, ”he said.

“USA. It is the main world economy and, despite being an agricultural power, it is the third importer of agro -industrial products (almost US $ 250,000 million annually), only behind the EU and China. The tendency of these imports is increasingthanks to the greater income of high value products such as fruits, bakery products, beers, wines, special cheeses and meats, ”the document continued.

In addition, according to INAI, exports of Argentine agroindustrial products to the United States in 2023 were US $ 2.1 billion. The most relevant thing about these exports is that they are very diversified, They have an important participation of regional economies and consist of high value products.

“While exports are important, this is relativized if we take into account that we are the 24th supplier of this kind of products in the US market and realize only 0.8% of the total imported by that country. In part, this is explained for two great reasons: on the one hand, We do not have the same access conditions that the main suppliers of the US market; And also We continue to suffer from a series of commercial defense measures that has adopted that country and that have closed or limited our exports of key products such as biodiesel, honey or concentrated lemon juice. A commercial agreement could positively address these two large access limitations ”, He said.

In a commercial complementarity analysis, taking into account the United States importer and the export profile of Argentina, the INAI detected opportunities to increase local exports in a wide range of products including: Food preparations, wines, fresh and frozen bovine meat, biodiesel, frozen potatoes, chocolates and other food preparations of Cocoa, honey, olive oil, lemon essential oil, lemons, citrus juices, grape must, cocoa confectionery and sunflower oil.

With an opposite vision, Miguel Ponce, Center for Studies for Foreign Trade of the 21st century, says Trump is “in love with Tariffs that are the most antagonistic to a free trade agreement”, Highlights. In addition, remember that Mauricio Claver-Carone, the envoy of the State Department for Latin America of Donald Trump recently made clear that, The US does not want to sign more agreements of this type.

“It is paradoxical to talk about tariffs today that begins to govern tariff punish I absolutely impossible the formation of free trade between Argentina and the United States because there cannot be a unilateral agreement without leaving Mercosur, ”said Ponce more likely to think about the arrival of only A large investment agreement.

In the same vein, also for the UHY International consultant, the possibility of a free trade agreement between Argentina and the United States, seems remote. “I don’t see it so likely because, in reality, neither Argentina nor Latin America- Salvo Mexico- are of particular interest to the United States. It is an illusion to think, in the world in which we live today, that Latin America is a priority ”, Roberto Macho said, Chairman of that firm.