BioFach Latin America Seminar
 Montevideo - Uruguai
07 de june, 2004

The Strengthening of the National Market for Organic Products and Regional Opportunities
   

The Organic Product Consumers Society and the Uruguayan Rural Association, as participants in the BioFach Latin America network, and Planeta Orgânico, as its moderator, organized a Seminar in Montevideo on June 7, 2004.

The Seminar was supported by the FAO, by the National Development Corporation (CND), and also by the Organic Uruguay Movement, APODU, by Instituto Biouruguayo Internacional and by PREDEG.

The efficiency of agronomist Martha Claudio in carrying out the local organization was fundamental for the success of this meeting, whose objectives were as follows:

To promote the development of, and provide clarification for, the segments of the organic production chain, and to discover where the greatest barriers and challenges lie;

To interact with national bodies and institutions with a view to boosting the development of the internal and Latin American markets for organic products.  
   

The Seminar was opened by Agronomist Jorge Dighiero, Manager of the Asociación Rural del Uruguay – as the institution responsible for the event in Uruguay – and by the supporting institutions.

 

A highlight was the announcement made by Mr. Gabriel Rodriguéz Marqués, the officer in charge of the FAO office in Uruguay, about the recent approval of a Regional Project for the development and consolidation of Organic Agriculture.

Julio Gemelli, President of the CND, Agronomist Carlos Sammarco, Director of PREDEG, and Agronomist Rafael Tellería, President of the Organic Uruguay Movement, also took part in the opening ceremony.

The high table at the opening of the BioFach Latin America Seminar in Uruguay
The talks were given by specialists from Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.  Engineer Andrés Lalanne of “Equipos Consultores” presented the results of a recent study on supply and demand for organic products in the local market. And, based on that, the areas with the best conditions for improvement and the possible strategies to achieve same were identified. 

Maria Beatriz Martins Costa and Rosina Guerra, who direct the marketing and coordination of BioFach Latin America, presented data on the BIOFACH Fair, as the main world event for organic products, and the BioFach Global Concept, with BioFach events in Japan, in the United States and now in Latin America.

The repercussions of the first BioFach event in Brazil (September 2003) enable us to say that BioFach Latin America (September 8 to 10, 2004) will bring many opportunities, including the promotion of regional trade among the countries of Latin America.

The business coordinator of SEBRAE (Support Service for Small and Medium Entrepreneurs), Heliana Marinho, presented to participants the Brazilian experience in relation to small companies and the challenges for growth, pointing out that the Brazilian organic sector occupies an important position – there are over 8,000 registered producers in the organic business in the country.     

Heliana Marinho was interviewed by the Uruguayan newspaper El Observador, and talked about the support given by SEBRAE to the organic sector and to BioFach Latin America - 2004.

Interview of El Observador about organic food and  BioFach
 

In the national sphere, various experiences of companies developing their production and commercial activities in the local and international markets were presented.
 

The PUNTO VERDE group, which belongs to the vegetable growing sector and whose activities are focused on the local market, presented its experience from production to the group  work involved in marketing.

Vitícola Uruguaya S.A., with its De La Cruz organic wines, is opening up markets in Latin America and Europe. The company points out that it is the first wine appropriate for consumption by diabetics.

Snail breeding and the potential for the international market was mentioned as a possible alternative.

The Parque Rodó market, as a direct sales experience in the local market, is a challenge which is being organized and supported by the Organic Producers Association of Uruguay (APODU).  An analysis of the results achieved since it was re-launched in November 2003 was presented, and the strong link created between producers and their customers was mentioned.
 

Consumers’ points of view were considered essential for market development and growth. They were presented by Lic. Alicia Caulia of the Consumers and Users Association (CUA).

The situation of the international market, consumer trends and the possible opportunities for Uruguayan producers and entrepreneurs were presented by Dr. Alda Rodríguez, Director of Instituto BIOURUGUAY Internacional.

The certification of organic products as an added value and the situation in Uruguay also received the audience’s attention and became a topic of analysis and debate, based on the presentation given by agronomist Martha Claudio.

In his turn, agronomist Pedro Landa analyzed the certification process and its situation in the various countries of Latin America, as well as its importance in facilitating access to the markets. 

 

Martha Claudio, who was responsible for the excellent organization of the Seminar, said:
"The Seminar, which lasted the whole day, fulfilled the established goals and was a great success. A large number of people coming from different activities – entrepreneurs, producers, technical professionals and students – participated, and we believe they achieved the proposed objectives. The repercussions in the local media (radio, television and newspapers) was excellent.  As the organizers in Uruguay, we would like to thank Planeta Orgânico and BioFach Latin America for the trust they placed in us. We are also grateful to the other institutions that took part in the event and that backed us in facing this challenge, and we hope to carry on building together the “Organic Road” in Uruguay."

Ing.Agr.
Martha Claudio
 

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