Argentina grains truckers and government set virtual meeting to end strike

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentina’s truckers and authorities officers agreed on Thursday to have a digital assembly to be able to attain an settlement to finish a protest by truck homeowners demanding larger freight charges.

Grains truckers, which transfer as much as 85% of the nation’s grains to ports, have been protesting since Monday, which may quickly affect grain shipments from one of many world’s largest meals exporters. Talks to finish the strike on Wednesday didn’t make a breakthrough.

Argentina is the world’s No. 1 exporter of processed soy oil and meal, and the No. 2 for corn.

“Efforts proceed with the goal of discovering a consensus on the truck strike,” the Transport Ministry stated in a press release, including that “at 18 hours (2100 GMT) there shall be a digital assembly between the events in order that they will negotiate and the grains transport strike could be lifted.”

The Federation of Argentine Transporters (FETRA), which represents the truckers, is demanding a rise in grain transport charges to offset rising gas costs previously weeks.

The charges had been up to date initially of February, in an settlement between transporters, the federal government and agricultural producers, however Argentina has been coping with spiking inflation.

Retail costs within the southern nation rose by 6.7% in March, accumulating a rise of 55.1% within the final 12 months. Inflation has been exacerbated by the struggle in Ukraine, which raised world costs of uncooked supplies.

FETRA additionally complains about gas shortages at a time of elevated demand for soybean and corn crops shipments.

(Reporting by Walter Bianchi; Writing by Carolina Pulice; Enhancing by Sandra Maler)