The CEO of Interagrovial SA He said that “the failure to rise in the price of diesel and a better positioned dollar, make profitability go back to being good.”
Julio Blanco, CEO Interagrovial
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-How have you been observing the Uruguayan rice sector?
-The pandemic put the global food supply in a critical situation. Uruguay is recognized for the quality of its rice, and this has become a great opportunity. The whole world generated a demand for volume and quality. Fortunately, the vast majority of Uruguayan rice is harvested with John Deere.
In this sense, Uruguay as a price taker will see how its rice sector can improve its margins. If this context is accompanied by government measures, the benefit will be even greater. The fact that the price of gas oil does not rise and a better positioned dollar make profitability once again good, also considering that we finish a harvest with high production levels as we expect.
-How do you evaluate the investment in technology and machinery of rice producers?
-The rice producer is a benchmark in terms of the incorporation of technological packages in their operations. With John Deere we are at the forefront of incorporating high-tech equipment that truly proves it contributes to the efficiency and profitability of the industry. In tractors we sell different series, we have pneumatic seeders with high sowing capacity, there are S700 series combines that are the most automated on the market, we incorporate products that are equipped with high technology for fertilization and spraying, we have new Akron hoppers for the sector, among many others. other solutions provided by Interagrovial.
Everything is part of what we call the John Deere ecosystem, not only with solutions in regard to machinery, but much more with intangibles, business management software, such as the Connected Solutions center: a center where technicians are remotely connected with teams by analyzing customer data and supervising the operational functions of each team.
Regarding the after-sales, we implement remote services through the Remote Service Advisor, with integrated solution plans and pursuing the objective of accompanying and serving the life cycle of the products. Financing is key to executing the projects, and in this sense Interagrovial develops its 7-year trust for the purchase of machinery and technology, with rates in line with the market.
John Deere Financial financing is for a 5 or 6 year term, always accompanying the BROU as the Country Bank that unconditionally supports the sector, as well as private banking. All make up a package of solutions that allow the execution of technology acquisition projects and advance in production developments, adding to COMAP benefits. All this generates a more competitive environment that allows to lower costs and increase productivity.
-As a company committed to the sector, what are the prospects and challenges for the rice agro-industrial chain?
-Interagrovial supports its structure through its network of branches, with 15 points of sale throughout the country. In the rice growing areas we have a presence in Salto, Tomás Gomensoro, Río Branco, Tacuarembó, Lascano and San Carlos.
The implementation of changes with different work methodologies in projects that are sustainable in the long term are very important in our country, as well as challenging us to take care of the environment using renewable energies.
Another important aspect is to form work teams, train people with successful and efficient plans and train people permanently, as we do through John Deere University.
Finally, the Customer Relationship Center, 100% connected, is an area that deals with contacting, surveying needs, providing answers and adding value to each contact. The key is to attend to producers and contractors in a personalized way. Through the comprehensive management of all these aspects, the main challenges to which Interagrovial, as a Uruguayan family business committed to the field, can make its contribution.
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