BUENOS AIRES, Aug 30, 2010 (IPS) - South America's Mercosur trade bloc is becoming established as the top world producer of beef, with 40 percent of the international market. But while in Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay production and exports are growing, Argentina, the home of the legendary "asado" barbecue, is falling behind.
A report by the Argentine Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture, indicates that rising beef consumption in Asia finds Mercosur (Southern Common Market), with the exception of Argentina, well-placed to increase sales.
What happened to Argentina, which exported 770,000 tonnes of beef in 2004 and now exports less than 380,000 tonnes? Producers and local analysts attribute this mainly to the shrinking profit margin and to government restrictions on exports, introduced in 2006 in an oft-unsuccessful attempt to maintain price stability in the domestic market.
Read more...
No comments:
Post a Comment