May 6, 2008

Argentina permits ranchers to register for beef exports
 

The Argentina government will allow ranchers to seek permission to export beef as part of an agreement reached with farm groups last month.

Ranchers will be permitted to register future beef shipments with customs beginning today.

Last month, Argentina agreed to increase the beef export limit by 10 percent to 550,000 tonnes a year.

The April 17 deal was the first reached since farmers suspended a three-week nationwide strike that disrupted exports and caused food shortages.

Farmers threatened to resume protests as early as this week after the government continued to control beef exports and refused to repeal tax increases on soy exports.