|
Contact: Daniel Secondi Release Date: January 28, 2003
Director, Business Development
Latin America
GIC Group
703-684-1366
E-mail: dsecondi@gicgroup.com Alexandria, VA – GIC, a Virginia-based
agribusiness company, outlined market and commercialdevelopments in Latin America that serve to reinforce US competitiveness in global markets.In a speech before the Virginia Corn Growers Association
at West Point, Virginia, Daniel Secondi, Director for Business Development/ Latin America for the GIC Group, stated that "American exporters," he said, "should establish strategic alliances with
Brazilian and Argentine counterparts to fill market demand year round." Supplies from Brazil and Argentina are counter-seasonal to US exports and transportation routes from Latin America can service some
markets at cost effective rates that should serve to the advantage of American exporters. GIC Group is an integrated agribusiness company, based in Virginia, that offers technical and investment
services to multinational companies, international and government organizations worldwide. Mr. Secondi is an Argentine with several years of farm and ag fund management experience in Argentina. GIC has concluded
several deals in Latin America and is currently involved in transactions that involve the commodity sector. In his presentation, Mr. Secondi indicated that Brazil and Argentina are taking advantage of
the exchange rate inversion that has boosted commodity sales from these countries. Secondi observed, "in the long term, however, the key will be for Brazil and Argentine suppliers to partner with American
exporters to better service their own markets over an extended period time as well as build demand where the US commands a lead in the market." The GIC presentation indicated that Brazil and
Argentina are cost effective suppliers but they need American partners for capital, technology, infrastructure development for handling and delivery and merchandising know how for their corn and soybean exports.
These improvements require time and stable political and economic conditions. "With these prerequisites," said Secondi, " there's a natural exporter partnership that moves cut-throat competition to
a strategy for rationalizing markets." |
