Businessmen from Israel met with representatives of the Antioquia Government to learn about the strategies of the agricultural sector in the department. This approach becomes a fundamental step to further strengthen the competitiveness of the region in the agro-industrial sector in the lines of precision agriculture, irrigation systems and greenhouses.
The meeting is part of the “Why Antioquia?” strategy, managed between the Government of Antioquia and the ACI Medellín to boost the economy by attracting investors to the territory. In addition, the proximity to the Israeli Embassy and the FTA signed with this country this year were key to identifying the companies that would have a real interest in settling in the department.
The Governor of Antioquia, Aníbal Gaviria Correa, emphasized that the department is a leader in productivity in Colombia thanks to the presence of the most thriving business community in the country. Likewise, he stressed that “in these coming years, major transformations of the department’s competitive platform will be consolidated thanks to the construction of fourth-generation or 4G roads, the completion of Hidrohituango and the ports of Urabá, among others. These works added to the security and institutional stability are key elements that allow to invite investment from Israel and the world to our department and the country ”.
For Rodolfo Correa, Secretary of Agriculture of the Antioquia Government, “it is inspiring what Israel does in the modernization of the agricultural sector in matters of organizational models, technology transfer to increase the efficiency of the sector, among other advances and developments. Currently, in Antioquia we are intervening the territories to give true importance to the agricultural sector in the department, for this reason, having a strategic partner such as Israel is presented as an opportunity for investment, technology transfer, and access to different world markets , allowing the social, industrial and technological development of the department and the country ”.
For his part, the Israeli ambassador to Colombia Cristian Cantor, through a videotaped greeting, stated that: “agriculture is and will continue to be a main axis of relations between the government of Israel and Colombia. The companies that are presented at this event are among the best companies that Israel has to offer to Antioquia”.
Eleonora Betancur, executive director of ACI Medellín, emphasized that: “the commitment we have as a public entity is to facilitate the reactivation not only of Medellín but of the entire territory through investment that can generate wealth and jobs to improve the quality of life of the citizen”.
This meeting is strategic for Antioquia since a Free Trade Agreement with Israel was recently signed allowing preferential access to this market and a consequent increase in trade as a result of the reduction in transaction costs and the improvement in customs procedures. Antioquia has key products of the agro-industry to favor exports and investment such as Hass avocado, cocoa, citrus fruits and beef, among other products. In the case of Hass avocado, exports have grown by 40% in the last 4 years, to mention just one of the products with the most potential in the region.
The meeting was attended by entrepreneurs from TapKit companies, specialized in large-scale hydroponic systems for fresh culinary herbs, micro-vegetables and vegetables based on their own advanced growing methods; Agritask, which offers a platform designed to unite precision agronomy and business intelligence; ClariFruit, provider of optimization software solutions for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry; LR Group, which operates in the initiation, development, financing, construction and management of medium and large-scale projects in high-growth economies; and finally, Bean & Co, a global cocoa company that grows large-scale, sustainable cocoa plantations around the world.
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