Agribusiness Presentation - Iván Ordoñez

For our first business meeting of our trip, an expert Agribusiness Consultant named Iván Ordoñez presented to our group at Alem 1074 about the changing global conditions in Agribusiness and its effects on Argentina's Agribusiness. Ordoñez highlighted the global change in Agribusiness and a growth in consumption because of food, feed, and fuel. For food, people living in urban areas do not normally grow their food, but they do in rural areas. Currently, because of an increase in GDP in rural areas, a middle class has formed, pushing people to not grow their own food (usually carbohydrate sources such as rice and vegetables). In turn, this has created and increase in food consumption around the world. With a rising middle class, these people are looking for higher quality protein sources, thus increasing food production used as feed for these protein sources. As for fuel, the United States uses 50% of ethanol production; the supply for fuel is low and the demand keeps rising (price increase). Matt G. asked an interesting question on whether Ordoñez thought the increase in demand for Agribusiness was created from new technology, but the presenter emphasized food, feed, and fuel as the main reasons. 

Students and faculty at Iván Ordoñez's presentation

Argentina's Agribusiness is improving because of these global situations. Network farmers are able to produce crops year-round, such as the soybean, which is important for making grain, flour, and oil and is responsible for 58% of Argentina's exports. South America's Agribusiness will continue to thrive because it is a large producer of vegetable protein, which has the highest growth potential near an ample water supply. 

Iván Ordoñez

Ordoñez concluded the presentation by answering Professor Zdravkovic's about GMO's (genetically modified organisms) and their effects on agribusiness by discussing the environmental issues with this topic. This presentation proved to be quite interesting because of Ordoñez's enthusiasm for this field; we were able to learn the importance of Agribusiness in Argentina and what global factors influence it. 

Iván Ordoñez with Bryant group