Land, Society and Economy
China interest in Argentina land irks locals

VIDEO Farmers worried about damage that comes with the excessive use of chemicals in large-scale agriculture.

COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

China interest in Argentina land irks locals ... Farmers worried about damage that comes with the excessive use of chemicals in large-scale agriculture.

Farmers in Argentina are facing competition from foreign firms that want to buy up land to plant crops.

In the southern Patagonia region, China's Beidahuang food company plans to lease over 300,000 hectares of land to grow genetically modified soya, corn and other crops.

The Chinese have also agreed to invest in infrastructure and to rebuild the badly damaged irrigation system in the area.

The locals are, however, worried about the environmental damage that comes with the excessive use of agrochemicals in large scale farming.

Teresa Bo reports from Rio Negro.

Source: Al Jazeera