Colombia: Livestock march against the FTA with the EU http://www.bilaterals.org/spip.php?article17253

The Middle Magdalena farmers disagreed with the measures stipulated in the Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, that the national government signed with the European Union. The initiative, which rejects the trade between Colombia and the old continent, was supported by the National Farmers Federation, who will ask the Congress an amendment of the arrangements made for the dairy sector. 

The intention of the Federation is to convene for the next May 19, the day the agreement is ratified by Congress, a national day of mobilization to disagree with the treaties. This was confirmed by the very head of the planning office Fedegan Leyva Fernando Pinzón, during their meeting yesterday in Barrancabermeja entity developed more than 60 small dairy farmers in the region. 

"The negotiation will affect the sustainability of livestock, because the shock will be strong at the level of competence in leading countries such as France, Germany, Holland," said the senior executive. According to Leyva Pinzón, the treaty puts at a disadvantage to producers who will have to compete with the strong agricultural policies of countries that are part of the European Economic Union. 

"The agreements mean that there will be a non-tariff trade flow production apparatus in which they compete with their products without tariff barriers. Colombia has not been prepared on the health aspects, and would be condemned to agreements such as these that the cattle Colombia only import the product, and in that game was not Fedegan points. " 

Low competitiveness -The coordinator of the Regional Unit of Livestock Development for Santander, Sur de Bolívar and Cesar, URDG, Clara Mercedes Torres Herrera, said that most farmers in the region and the country are small producers. "The Colombian cattle lacks competitiveness. We are very critical issues, in the sense that we have difficulties in production, we have milk that is not paid as it should be paid, and the quality of milk is not the best, "said Torres Herrera. 

Lower payments must be reported -Small dairy farmers complained to the National Cattlemen's Federation for payment of a liter below those stipulated by law the head of the Office of Planning Fedegan Leyva Fernando Pinzón, urged farmers to report cases to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce. "The buyer can pay under the requirements of the Act but has been obliged to submit product quality analysis in laboratories, to establish discounts and rebates. Producers must show strips of payment where such values are stipulated, "the senior executive.