The closing conference was based on two economic profiles: demand - led by China and India - and supply being it analyzed from the South American point. The analysis showed that demand was much higher than estimated before the 1st South American Forum of Agriculture - CAS 2013. There were over 300 people from ten countries throughout the two-day summit. The Forum had a total of 34 speakers.
The roundtable counted with the presences of China’s Hopefull Group consultant Tom Lin Tan, the United Phosphoros Limited (India) Director Lalit Khulbe, the Director of the Agriculture and Livestock Federation of the State of Mato Grosso, Seneri Paludo; and the former Secretary of International Relations for the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil, Célio Porto.
During his lecture, Lin Tan remarked the exponential growth that China has experienced in the past 35 years after the great economic reform the country conducted in 1978. He also recalled the recent economic and social reform introduced a week ago by the Chinese government that will affect the country in the next decade including the agricultural industry. The consultant noted that his country seeks for greater environmental protection while having to deal with the limited availability of land and the steady increase in demand for food.
Soy is the main commodity that China demands in an increasing rate since 1995. He explained that the Asian giant produces 50 percent of the world’s pork production so the supply of soybean is fundamental in order to cover its swine feeding program. To end, Lin Tan stated that "the new reforms will benefit South America in the next 20 years as China's demand will not stop and South America is seen as our major supplier."
On his turn, Mr. Khulbe also stressed the commercial relations with the region as he considered it "a natural ally of India in terms of satisfying our demand for food and soybeans."
Likewise, Uruguay’s Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Tabaré Aguerre, highlighted the great demand for biofuel and animal protein, and the great moment the Southern Cone is going through. "We do not live in an era of change, but a change of era." About this, the official gave the examples of the emerging countries in which income grows at higher rates than that of the developed nations; and South America’s increasing market share in the global trade of grains and beef.
Final balance
The Forum’s coordinator, Giovani Ferreira, remembered how big is the market that South American countries have ahead.
"We realize that the challenge is even greater than we imagine, not only with issues such as infrastructure, but also on how to understand the market. And the forum aimed to integrate the countries of South America to the global context. There is a large demand but we there is also great potential. We hope that through debates like the ones we had - which will be permanent - we could act and focus on the future of world agriculture and a more sustainable future."