June 25, 2019

The Minister of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries, Tabaré Aguerre, reported from China that the country has expressed interest in purchasing Uruguayan pine wood. Authorities from the Asian nation highlighted that Uruguay has 180,000 hectares of this species, a favorable track record in large-scale reforestation, and intensive eucalyptus production balanced with the protection of native forests.

On Friday the 21st, at the meeting that brought together Minister Aguerre and a delegation of authorities and businessmen with representatives of the State Forestry Agency of China, the Asian representatives valued and recognized the protection of native forests in Uruguay, along with the development of artificial afforestation for the industry —cellulose, boards and roundwood—.

“It also enabled the installation of two pulp mills and another one is in the process of being installed, with the largest investment in Uruguay’s history,” Aguerre said in a telephone interview with the Institutional Communication Secretariat.

Within this context, Chinese officials presented the possibility of exporting pine wood. Aguerre highlighted this opportunity. “Uruguay has 180,000 hectares of pine forest, which is more than enough for our current timber production capacity. Currently, pine is a surplus raw material because short-fiber pulp is made from eucalyptus,” he stated.

He also stated that in China he received expressions of interest regarding what he defined as «agro-smart Uruguay»: soil management, balance in agricultural, livestock and environmental production.

According to the minister: «With China we can be complementary for many years and it is very important for us to use the strategy of technical cooperation managed jointly with trade facilitation.»

“We are concluding a process that is routinely carried out in the ministry through the working groups established by the International Affairs Unit with the agribusiness sectors. We must facilitate market access for Uruguayan products during the lengthy negotiation process for market approval,” he stated.

“Having excellent relations, a climate of permanent dialogue and a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture is an important area for cooperation, strengthening and improvement of a growing commercial relationship,” he stated.

In that regard, he commented that now comes the stage in which, in addition to gaining sanitary access and starting the free trade agreement process to reduce the tariffs paid on export products, the stage of differentially positioning Uruguayan products in the Chinese market must begin.

The delegation will remain in China until Wednesday the 26th. The official agenda includes a visit to a farm with an irrigation system, a meeting with the top authority of the Chinese food company Cofco, with the State Grain Administration and with the local Minister of Water Resources.

Fountain: https://www.presidencia.gub.uy/comunicacion/comunicacionnoticias/aguerre-china-forestacion