The production of Vaca Muerta allowed the province of Neuquén to overcome the economic recession that affects the country and its provincial revenue was one of the three that had a positive result in the first four months of the year, according to a private study.
Neuquén’s provincial income in constant currency rose 10.8% between January and April compared to the same period last year.
Only three jurisdictions were able to maintain positive balances, the other two being Salta (1.8%) and Córdoba (0.2%).
The difference reflects the impact of the deposit on the provincial accounts, according to the work carried out by the consulting firm Politikón Chaco (includes 19 districts).
The rest of the country’s provinces had collections below last year, with the worst results being Formosa (33.6%), Chaco (23.2%), San Juan (20.9%), among others.
But the situation in Neuquén is not something exceptional in 2024, but rather it has been deepening for several years and is observed in comparisons, for example since 2019, which was carried out by the Politikon Chaco report. Collection in constant currency rises 19.4% compared to 2019, 30% against 2020, 29.5% against 2021 and 29.5% against 2022.
The improvement is obviously related to the Gross Income tax, which in the first quarter of the year had an increase of 15.4%. Far behind in terms of increases are Salta (6.1%), Buenos Aires (4.4%), Córdoba (3.9%), Santa Fe (2.2%) and Catamarca (2.1%).
Based on this better performance, Neuquén became the second province with the best “own collection as a percentage of automatic transfers” ratio, 189.7%, only behind the City of Buenos Aires (839%).
This leads the province to depend less and less on national income, which increases its degree of autonomy.
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