Roberto Perracino: "No hay que confundir libre mercado con anarquía"

Roberto Perracino grew up in a dairy family, inheriting his first dairy farm from his parents who initially set it up. Over the years, he has expanded and maintained the farms, committing himself to the industry's growth and advocating for producers. As the current president of the Mesa de Productores de Leche de Santa Fe (Meprolsafe), Perracino emphasizes the need for clear rules and regulations to prevent market anarchy.

Perracino's operations include two dairy farms – one smaller, pasture-based operation producing 2,500 to 2,800 liters per day, and another leased farm with advanced infrastructure including compost bedding and high-genetic cattle. Challenges such as economic downturns and severe droughts have tested the industry, but strategic reinvestment in the farms has helped them endure.

The current reduction in the number of dairy farms, from over 30,000 in the 1980s to about 9,000 today, has led to a decrease in milk supply, subsequently raising milk prices. However, Perracino stresses that mere market freedom without clear game rules is detrimental to producers, especially as many exit the industry under financial strain.

He recognizes the benefits the new government policy brought in 2024, such as controlling inflation and improving input purchase conditions due to favorable milk prices in dollar terms. Yet, he insists on the necessity for a regulatory framework to provide sector predictability, ensuring the sustainability of dairy businesses. "An arbitrator is necessary," he notes, "to prevent unchecked market operations from forcing producers out."