Importing Beef?

The Argentinean herd is estimated at 57.7 million head for 2008 with forecasts suggesting a drop of 5 per cent in 2009. With Argentinean beef consumption rising by 7 per cent for the first seven months of the year there are fears that the country will not have the resources to maintain domestic consumption over the medium term without severely curtailing exports.

UPDATE:

"By Rodrigo Orihuela

Oct. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Argentina, the biggest per capita beef consumer, may face a shortage of the national staple as early as next month if the government continues to withhold subsidies to feedlots, a farm group official said."