Argentine farmers back conservatives in election, hoping for freer markets
By Maximilian Heath and Miguel Lo Bianco
SAN VICENTE, Argentina (Reuters) — In Argentina's grains fields and cattle ranches, farmers are hoping upcoming elections will bring political change and an end to years of economic uncertainty, ushering in freer markets with fewer currency controls and export limits.
The South American country will vote in open primary elections on Sunday that will give an indication of how general elections in October will go. The ruling Peronist coalition is facing a strong challenge by the conservative opposition.
The government, battling an acute shortage of dollars, annual inflation scraping 116%, and a fast declining currency, has imposed strict capital controls, limited some exports, and hiked interest rates to 97%. That has made business difficult in one of the world's top soyoil and meal exporters and No. 3 corn exporter.
«It's been a tough time for the farm sector and we hope there will be a change to boost production,» Horacio Deciancio, 71, a rancher and head of farming town San Vicente's local agricultural group, told Reuters from his fields, surrounded by cows.
Like many farmers he opposes the Peronists, who the industry has long clashed with over taxes and export controls, and favored the main opposition bloc Together for Change, which has a slight lead in opinion polls.
«At least what they are talking about in the political campaign would improve conditions for the sector,» he said.
Competing to lead the Together for Change coalition are Buenos Aires city mayor Horacio Larreta and ex-security minister Patricia Bullrich, taking on the Peronist front-runner Sergio Massa, the current Minister of Economy.
Larreta and Bullrich have both pledged to remove taxes and limits on exports of
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