We have learned some general information about Uruguay from our tour guide and the gentlemen we have visited with on farms today. First off, they elected a new president last year. Here a president can serve multiple terms, but not consecutive terms. So a current president cannot be re-elected.
In the last 10 years, cropping has become much more important in Uruguay. Land prices have skyrocketed from $1,000 to $10,000 per hectare over the past decade.
Forestry is also very important in Uruguay. The whole country has about 16 million hectares total. Out of that 16 million, about 1.2 million hectares is crops, 1 million is forestry, and the rest of it is all pasture land. The trees grown here are eucalyptus trees. They grow to around 50-60 feet tall in 15 years. The wood is mainly exported as paper pulp, with the United Kingdom as a major buyer. All the wood is hauled in trucks, which causes extreme damage to the roads.
One major difference between Argentina and Uruguay is the terrain. Argentina is mainly flat, whereas Uruguay is rolling hills, more similar to eastern South Dakota. The other major difference is the equipment that farmers use is much newer in Uruguay. They don't have Argentina's export taxes, and they also have the option to import used equipment from the United States without paying large amounts of taxes on it. Overall, Uruguay is a much cleaner country with neat scenery. We all seem to like this country very well except for the rough roads.
Submitted Jacob Baustain
