Argentina’s wine-growing province offers lessons in how to reform
Move fast, but take voters with you
WHEN GRAPES are ready for harvest, Mendoza, capital of the Argentine province that shares its name, throws a party. For three days this month revellers on vine-themed floats tossed grapes and melons into crowds. Gauchos paraded. Argentina’s “harvest queen” took her crown at an open-air show.
The bacchanal was a contrast to national gloom. Argentina’s GDP contracted by 6.2% in the year to the fourth quarter of 2018 (see article). The urban unemployment rate is 9% and inflation this year is expected to be 40%. Mendoza appears to be doing better. Income data for 2018 are not yet in but the provincial unemployment rate is only 5.9%. A devaluation of the peso has helped boost wine sales, tourism and trade with next-door Chile.
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline "The Mendoza model"
From the March 30th 2019 edition
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