In November, an industrial transformation and conversion trial will begin that the Government will evaluate as a potential starting point for other areas. That month, a release will begin in special tariffs and obstacles for the import of notebooks and desktop computers, products that in turn will stop being produced in the country.
The idea is that the prices of computers will drop, that products of the latest world technology enter the domestic market at a much more reasonable price than the current one. Today the country has the highest prices in the world in these areas, and it is cheaper to go to Miami for a weekend to buy a high-end device and return than to buy it in a store in Buenos Aires. In exchange, they will stop manufacturing within the borders (actually, assembling), but without losing jobs and concentrating on other products (appliances and electronic items), where local production has a higher level of competitiveness and, it is expected, can supply an increase in local demand for this end of the year. Especially in the air conditioners produced within the country.
The agreement for this replacement was negotiated by five parties: the Ministry of Production of Francisco Cabrera, the businessmen who manufacture in Tierra del Fuego, the unions of that province, the importers and technology companies and the mega sales chains, which, in many cases, are also assembly companies in southern Argentina. The idea is that this project will then serve as a test for other sectors of the economy, where it is considered that national production is expensive in dollars and the need to have certain goods in the Argentine market (for competitiveness reasons) is great.
For the Government, having state-of-the-art computers in Argentina, both for companies and individuals, is essential to improve the country's productivity conditions; and, it is considered, that the current protection of the manufacturing of this item in Tierra del Fuego brings more costs (even in dollars) than benefits. But it is also taken into account that jobs cannot be lost, so there must be a guarantee of job reconversion within the same companies and within that province for the employees of those assembly lines.
For a second moment, an attempt will be made to begin to open international markets to send part of this production, especially in other Latin American markets or North Africa.
The only notebooks that will continue to be manufactured in the country will be those affected by the "Conectar" plan, which have a design and software specially prepared to be placed in Argentina. It is promised that there will begin to be on the shelves of local businesses the same products that can be bought abroad, and at a more reasonable price than the current one. Or that at least it won't be cheaper to go to Miami to purchase them, spending two or three days on the beach.
About the jobs
In exchange, the almost 1,000 workers who, mainly in Tierra del Fuego, manufacture these goods; They will go to other assembly lines, especially air conditioners and next-generation televisions. The idea is that without losing jobs, changing the products manufactured in the country can lower the prices of other goods that are considered key to improving technological competitiveness in Argentina.
Updated on: 05/09/2016 00:00:00
Source of Information: Ambito.com
