Some productive sectors of the Colombian economy need “re-engineering” to remain competitive following the implementation of the free trade agreement with the United States, Agriculture Minister Juan Carlos Restrepo announced.
“There are sub-sectors that face challenges and threats, sectors such as rice and milk production, we must work intensely to catch up to re-engineer these areas so they are ready to compete,” Restrepo said.
Some sectors will have have immediate access to the United States markets and others will not, Restrepo explained.
The minister also suggested that several government-owned entities, such as the National Institute of Food and Drug Monitoring and the Colombian Agricultural Institute, make sure they meet all sanitation standards to ensure Colombian products do not run into customs problems in other countries.
Restrepo also advised the Colombian customs agency DIAN to monitor the imports coming in from the U.S.
“Let us not get more quotas or imports than what is authorized, which is what happened to Mexico at the beginning,” the minister cautioned.