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singular_me
2nd May 2010, 06:53 PM
looks like they are ahaed of us - offcially

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Latin American countries feeling the pinch of depression
May 2010
................ The FAO report said that the recession was still growing, but it was too early to assess the extent of its impact. Many countries have seen an across the board reduction in trade and financial flows, reducing employment opportunities and the amount of money available for government programs.

The 17 largest Latin American economies, for example, received $184 billion in financial inflows in 2007, which was roughly halved in 2008 to $89 billion and is expected to be halved again to $43 billion in 2009, the report said. This means that consumption must be reduced, and for some low-income food-deficit countries, adjusting consumption may mean reducing badly needed food imports and other imported items such as health-care equipment and medicines.

The Merco Press indicates the same dismal results for the Latin American country of Argentina:

Argentina’s August trade surplus dropped 48% from the same month a year ago to 1.16 billion US dollars as exports sank, the government said on Friday. Imports fell by 37% during the month to 3.25 billion, while exports dropped by an even bigger 40% to 4.40 billion USD due to lower prices and reduced volumes, particularly by the drought-hit farming industry.

Sales of manufactured agricultural goods, which include top export earners soy-oil and soy-meal, fell by 35% during the month. Overall volumes of agricultural goods fell by 26%, while prices dropped 16%............

Local currencies, which were once very popular during the Great Depression of the 1930s when federal funds were insufficient in number, are experiencing a renaissance in Latin America, but for new reasons. In the last decade many small towns and inner-cities have discovered that local scrip, which helped define the regional trade areas, to educate consumers about local resources and builds community.

Just recently, 9 countries have decided to “ditch” the US dollar as preferred method of exchange and decided to establish their own local currencies in frantic efforts to avoid inflation..........
http://www.thecomingdepression.net/countries/south-america/latin-american-countries-feeling-the-pinch-of-depression/

Ponce
2nd May 2010, 06:59 PM
Cuba has been under WTSHTF conditions for over 46 years so that what is going on is really nothing.........it should get about 10% harder and thats it....meanwhile here in the jungle..........about 75%, or more, worse.

cigarlover
2nd May 2010, 11:28 PM
Exactly Ponce. When you have already hit bottom there's nowhere left to go except up. I'm not sure where your Dad lives in Cuba but I get the impression that outside of Havana most of the people do some sort of farming. I also noticed that when I was there I was always much less hungry and also ate much less food. No monsanto GMO crops perhaps?

Ponce
2nd May 2010, 11:59 PM
No Mr. Lover.........my dad was no farmer, he went to Giorgia Tech where he graduated as a mechanical and a electric engineer and at one time was working with "El Che" and in charged of all the sugar mills in Cuba.....he worked till the age of 84.

He is now 98 and lives in Havana.

cigarlover
3rd May 2010, 01:55 AM
Hey Ponce I'll bet he was in touch with the Robaina family at one time then. They got their start in sugar before they made the switch to tobacco.
98 he is still young. I know when I met Alejandro Robaina a few years ago he was in his 80's and doing great. Still hitting on women 50 years younger than him. Life in Cuba is a lot slower paced but they sure know how to live.