The protagonists of the international meat trade meet at the SIAL fair in Shanghai

When you are reading this column, you will be just a few hours away from the start of one of the most significant events for the food trade, which is the Sial fair in Shanghai, China. The Uruguayan presence at this event is important, not only, but fundamentally, in the case of beef with the National Meat Institute (INAC) stand, in which the vast majority of export plants, as well as brokers and traders, participate. This instance is key for the "face-to-face" between exporters and importers, and it is usual for the supply side to "reserve" some product to have it available during the meeting with clients. This causes the operation to be reduced in the two or three weeks prior to the fair. In these activities, there are always "outstanding topics" that dominate conversations in the corridors of the enormous warehouses where the fair is held. With absolute certainty, the tariff war unleashed by the Trump administration, with its back-and-forth, will be at the top of the agenda. ...