Matthew Quinn. - Staff. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
Thursday, May 31, 2001
Eight months after leading a trade delegation to Cuba, Georgia Agriculture
Commissioner Tommy Irvin is worried that export opportunities for the state's
poultry industry are slipping away.
Congress may have eased some restrictions on the 40-year-old U.S. trade
embargo last fall, "cracking the door a little bit'' by coincidence when
Irvin and the Georgia agribusiness group were in Cuba, the commissioner said.
"But it's not a wide enough crack in the door for real trade
opportunities with Cuba,'' he said. "The bottom line is, if we don't seize
upon the time to have full trade relations, other people are going to step in
and fill the void.''
It was reported this month that a newly established Brazilian trading
company has targeted Cuba for poultry sales. BRF Trading Co. is a partnership of
Perdigao S.A. and Sadia S.A., both based in Sao Paulo, according to the New
York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council.
Irvin said Georgia companies that want to sell products to Cuba must go
through third countries such as Canada, putting them at a great disadvantage
against world competitors.
Irvin continues to speak out in favor of trade relations with Cuba at
meetings with fellow agriculture commissioners. He said he has strong support
for such a move from the Georgia congressional delegation. But opposition from
Florida's Cuban-American community remains politically potent.
"I will just keep plugging away,'' Irvin said.
Trade show to draw big Israeli contingent
Israeli telecommunications companies will be out in full force at next
week's Supercomm 2000 high-tech trade show in Atlanta.
According to Israel's Economic Mission in New York, 63 Israeli companies
will attend, double last year's total and the largest international delegation
from outside North America.
The mission plans a reception Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the
Embassy Suites Hotel, Centennial Olympic Park.
Speakers will include Daniel Rosenne, director general of Israel's Ministry
of Communications; Robert C. Hagerty, chairman, president and chief executive
officer of Polycom (which acquired Accord Networks of Israel for $340 million
last year); and Gerald Segal, managing director, Bear Stearns & Co. Inc.
Israel.
For more information, contact Hilary Dunst of the Israel Economic Mission at
212-499-5622.
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