Since being nationalized in 2010, Venezuela's largest agricultural supplier has made it easier for farmers to access credit, seeds and machinery. Venezuela's state owned agricultural supply company has aided over 500,000 primary producers in four years, as of Monday. “We have increased the machinery sales, to put useful tools and the best technology in the hands of producers,” Agropatria head Humberto Laurens said in a statement. Agropatria was formed in 2010, when its private forerunner Agroislena was nationalized by then president Hugo Chavez. Chavez's administration accused Agroislena of holding a national monopoly on farming supplies, and gouging farmers with prices as much as 250 percent above market value. According to the government, the private company controlled 95.88 percent of onion and tomato seed imports and 30 percent of Venezuela's silos. Since nationalization, Agropatria has provided Venezuelan farmers with financial support, agricultural tools and machinery at “fair prices,” according to state news agency AVN. “Much of the work of Agropatria focuses on increasing access of small and medium producers to finance programs offered by public banking (institutions),” AVN reported. The company also boasts it has significantly expanded access to farming supplies. According to government figures, the company supplies its 500,000 clients from 101 stores nationwide – up from the 60 Agroislena stores supplying less than 200,000 farmers at the time of the company's nationalization. Agropatria also operates over 100 small, mobile stores that serve thousands of farmers in isolated areas. Source URL |
