Argentina plans to sell Venezuela more food

Argentina is to heighten its food exports to Venezuela to prevent shortage of staples, reported on Thursday Venezuelan Vice-President Nicolás Maduro and Argentinean Minister of Planning Julio De Vido, during an event in Caracas.

Working groups from both countries worked on Wednesday "to increase exports from Argentina of rice, milk, beef, poultry, that is, any products (...) as appropriate to ensure food security in Venezuela," De vido explained, together with Maduro during an official ceremony held at state-run banking institution Banco de Venezuela. No numbers were spelled out.

The purpose is to assure Venezuela of "intact food stocks for three months, so that nobody can produce shortage in the market of necessaries," Maduro explained in the event aired on state-owned TV channel VTV, according to a press release from AFP.

"The ultimate details have been agreed for additional tons" of several goods "to arrive timely" in Venezuela, added De Vido, who landed in Caracas on Wednesday, concomitantly with a delegation of 25 Argentinean businesspersons who would meet with Venezuelan authorities.

In Maduro's words, during the meetings, "all bilateral agreements" were reviewed in the fields of energy, oil, and finance, among others.

"Argentina, also with the support of (state-run oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela) Pdvsa, will keep on increasing the search for oil, gas, and, well, all its energy capabilities," the vice-president said.

Argentina "will have all the volumes of fuel, fuel oil (produced in Venezuela), needed to sustain its development," De Vido wrapped up.