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JBS, the world's top beef producer, could struggle to sell three of its Argentine plants due to government policies that have depleted cattle stocks and hurt profits, a trade group said Tuesday.

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Environmental factors, lack of cooperation and over-fishing have caused a sharp fall in catches of squid in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, the most important fishery in the world for this species. In the first six months of this year, the squid catch fell by 50.4 percent compared to the same period in 2009, which had again been a very bad year compared to 2008.

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Argentina's beef slaughterhouses and exporters are struggling in the face of high live cattle costs and low sale prices for table-ready meat, leading a number to shut down or trim unprofitable operations.

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Beef consumption in Argentina has declined sharply over the past year, falling to 56.7kg/head - the result of much tighter beef supplies since December 2009 and soaring beef prices (up 164% since October 2009) (IPC City). Argentina has traditionally been a high volume consumer of beef - consuming close to 70 kg/person per year for decades, with a preference for forequarter cuts from young light animals. In contrast, loin and round cuts from heavy steers have been typically exported to higher priced markets such as the EU under Argentina's 28,000 tonne Hilton quota (not expected to be filled this year because of tight supplies).

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Brazil’s JBS, the world's top beef producer is trying to sell three of its Argentine plants due to government policies that have depleted cattle stocks and supply and hurt profits, a trade group said on Tuesday. “It will take four to five years to recover the volume of cattle needed to meet domestic and export demand,” said Miguel Schiariti, president of Argentina's Meat Industry and Trade Chamber (CICCRA). He said the business would remain unprofitable for several years because of government policies.

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Brazil's JBS SA the world's largest beef producer, is studying to reduce its production in Argentina and could sell some of its plants there, the company said in a statement Sunday night.

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Industry Minister Débora Giorgi concluded her New Zealand tour after meeting with several local government representatives and businessmen in the dairy sector, who expressed interest over investing in Argentina. Mrs. Giorgi first met with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise's Investment Director, Graham Matthews, with whom she discussed the business potential that both countries represent.

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One of the country’s farm leaders celebrated the fact that two Lower House committees addressed the duty segmentation issue, but his words should not be taken as an indication that differences among farmers have been overcome.

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As a country which has experienced growth in their export market since 2002, Argentina is looking to New Zealand to provide further opportunity for their farm machinery industry.

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After signing several trade accords, Industry Minister Débora Giorgi continues to tour New Zealand alongside several businessmen from the farm machinery sector. So far, Mrs. Giorgi said her tour has been "very positive," since she said she considers the Oceania region "a key, strategic point for Argentine companies to enter the South East Asian market."

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Brazil’s JBS, the world's top beef producer is trying to sell three of its Argentine plants due to government policies that have depleted cattle stocks and supply and hurt profits, a trade group said on Tuesday.

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Brazil's JBS SA the world's largest beef producer, is studying to reduce its production in Argentina and could sell some of its plants there, the company said in a statement Sunday night.

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Argentinean beef exports during July grew 21% to 14,221 tonnes swt month-on-month, but were still 65% down compared with July 2009. However, shipments during the calendar year to July dropped 50% to 101,679 tonnes swt.

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Argentina accuses Clarín and La Nación of conspiring with military dictators The Argentine government moved Tuesday to take over the country’s only newsprint maker, alleging two leading newspapers illegally conspired with military dictators to control the company three decades ago and then used it to drive competing media out of business.

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According to the expert evaluation of the materials presented by the National Veterinary Service of Argentina about seven Argentinian plants interested in export of their products to the Russian market, it has been established that all the establishments work in accordance with the Russian veterinary and sanitary requirements and norms.

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Taxes on Argentine grain exports discourage investment and should be scrapped, one of the country’s biggest soy producers said on Thursday as lawmakers discuss how to cut the controversial levies.

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President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announced that the Executive Branch will be presenting documentation regarding alleged crimes against humanity committed during the illegal appropriation of the Papel Prensa entity. She spoke at the Government House, where she said that Papel Prensa "is the only company that produces and commercializes" the material "needed to make this paper in Argentina."

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Twelve months inflation expectations in Argentina steady at 25% Argentines expect prices to rise 25% over the next twelve months, according to the median estimate in a monthly survey by Buenos Aires-based Torcuato Di Tella University. Expectations in August remained unchanged from last month’s report, the university said in an e-mailed report. The Di Tella poll of 1,199 people was conducted by Poliarquia Consultores from Aug. 2 to Aug. 11 and has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. According to the University’s Finance Research Centre, CIF, expectations vary according to income levels. While the high income bracket saw prices drop a peak expectation of 30% to 25%, in the low income bracket the opposite happened with expectations soaring to 32%.

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Argentine farmers demand regulations limiting foreign ownership of land The number of land in the hands of foreigners in Argentina has almost tripled in the last 10 years, a phenomenon that is spreading to areas that are rich in natural resources and that is affecting small towns that are finding themselves enclosed within the domains of large landholders.

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Nuevo Encuentro party Deputy Martín Sabbatella came out to support the government's right to set the export tax duties rates as the lawmaker told reporters that "it's the Executive branch who must keep setting the export tax duties."

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The head of the Argentine Agrarian Federation (FAA), Eduardo Buzzi, said that he will march toward the Parliament with a thousand farmers to "explain their needs, because without special policies the farmers stop being feasible."

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The Argentinean beef export industry is worried about the short supply of heavy steers suitable for product shipped under the EU "Hilton" High Quality Beef quota. According to local consultants, Argentina is likely to again fall short of the 28,000 tonne Hilton quota in 2010-11, after having shipped only 17,362 tonnes swt in 2009-10. This year's shortfall is due to the current low cattle supplies and poor prospects for the remainder of the year, as a La Niña weather phenomenon is expected to bring widespread drought.

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Agrarian Federation head Eduardo Buzzi blasted Santa Fe governor Hermes Binner again for his position regarding export duties. Mr. Binner came out in rejection of Mr. Buzzi's statements, saying that Argentina moves forward "by standing right by the farming sector's side, not in front of it."

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A MAN’S FOOD.... It’s certainly not flattering or pleasurable, but that’s the way it is: eye candy for the hungry and for passionate gourmets, but it’s certainly no delight when you stop to think of a cow as beef or barbecue, but rather as a four-legged mammal bludgeoned to death and chopped into palatable grill cuts. Before you dismiss the above as just another vegan campaign, let me warn you that I’m omnivorous and have plenty to argue for this diet.

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The Hayes plan Increase of cattle slaughter weights - The government has heeded the Hayes plan to raise the minimum weight of cattle being slaughtered. Today 80% of the cattle in Argentina are slaughtered for the home market as suck calves and yearlings of 350 kilos live weight, while in Europe and the USA have an average slaughter weight of 675 kilos. Indeed the Argentine consumers benefit from enjoying the most succulent tender beef in the world, from a financial point of view slaughtering cattle as these weight’s is insanity.

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British newspaper "The Financial Times" has run a story focusing on Argentina's wheat production, explaining that due to export limits and taxes, "farmers have slashed the land sown with wheat to a 111-year low" and cereal exports "have been halved over the past five years."

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Argentina's beef exports during the first half of the year slumped sharply on a combination of tight supply and government limits.

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Basic Foods’ Basket in Argentina increased 95.9% in twelve months

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The tight cattle supply situation among South American exporters has forced major importers to lift beef prices in recent weeks (World Beef Report).

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Agriculture Minister Julián Domínguez said that Rural Society head Hugo Biolcati's speech during the farming expo opening was "absurd" and added he thought it meant "the loss of a historic possibility to set the farming sector's agenda for the future.

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Cabinet Chief Aníbal Fernández sparked a new dispute among the Government versus Farming Sector conflict when he harshly blasted Argentine Rural Society head Hugo Biolcati, calling him "a poor little rich man." Fernández did not hesitate to continue criticizing opposition for having "celebrated" Biolcati's speech.

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Labour Minister Carlos Tomada said the Liaison Committee "do not represent the farming sector" and assured that the national Government has "already opened up for more than just debate." When asked for an opinion on Rural Society head Hugo Biolcati, Mr. Tomada said he thought he was "the commander in chief."

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Mercosur concluded Tuesday in Argentina one of its most successful summits after having reached agreements on issues that consolidate integration and at the same avoiding being drawn into a frustrating debate on a renewed chapter of the ongoing Venezuela/Colombia conflict.

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Businessmen grouped under the so-called Group of Seven (G7) visited the farming exhibition at La Rural in Palermo neighbourhood and met with farming leaders. After a long lunch, the heads of agriculture, industry, and service organisms analyzed a possible reduction in tax export duties, the viability of the pension floor pegged to 82 percent as minimum wage for retirees, and the proposal they are to take on Wednesday to the Minimum Living and Mobile Wage Council, where they are to meet with officials and union representatives.

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Egypt to sign free trade agreement at Mercosur summit in Argentina Egypt will be signing a free trade agreement with Mercosur during the group’s presidential summit scheduled for next August 3 in Argentina, announced Friday the Egyptian trade minister on Friday.

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Sustainability will be the focus of the 18th edition of the World Meat Congress, which takes place Nov. 26-29 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Organized by the International Meat Secretariat (I.M.S.) every two years, this event will star more than 20 international experts/lecturers who will analyze current trends and perspectives regarding beef, lamb and pork meat from throughout the world.

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Agriculture Minister Julián Domínguez made references to the speech given by Argentine Rural Society head Hugo Biolcati during the inauguration of the 124th Farming Expo in Palermo and said that "listening to Biolcati speaking of poverty and of a spirit of confrontation from our government is like listening to Satan celebrating midnight mass on Good Thursday."

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Argentine farmers and government exchange strong accusations The head of the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) Hugo Biolcati demanded the government of President Cristina Kirchner “to leave pride aside” and said that they “should open a window of the intolerance wall” because “we are a country thrashed with corruption, exclusion and poverty”.

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Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman set in motion the 39th Mercosur Summit, during which Argentina informed of the results obtained during its pro-tempore presidency of the bloc during the first semester. Issues such as customs union, regional infrastructure, and PyME productive integration were discussed. A free-trade agreement was signed with Egypt. Venezuela and Colombia's "broken ties" appeared as a floating topic among those to-be-discussed issues, as it was decided not to establish the matter as "part of the agenda."

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The head of the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) Hugo Biolcati demanded the government to "to leave the pride aside" and said that they "should open a window of the intolerance wall" because "we are country thrashed by corruption, exclusion and poverty," during the official inauguration of the 124th Farming Expo in Palermo.

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Dissident Peronist deputy Felipe Solá came up to stage to give his word on the farming products export tax duties, a matter the deputy considered to be "a fight between the tax collecting agency and the farming sector", and his absence during the Rural Society's (SRA) farming products exhibition's official inauguration, where SRA's boss Hugo Biolcati gave a controversial speech.

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The head of the Argentine Rural Society, Hugo Biolcati, came out after the criticisms made by the head of the Argentine Rural Federation (FAA), Eduardo Buzzi, and told reporters that the liaison board is "united" in spite of the existing "differences among its members".

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Rural Society head Hugo Biolcati once again shot down rumours that the Liaison Committee may have dissolved after other members failed to appear during the first two days of the 124th Farming Expo in the Palermo neighbourhood.

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The Congress will be officially inaugurated on the morning of Tuesday 28 September, and over the course of the next two days industry leaders, governmental representatives, international organisations and academics will deliberate the challenges our industry faces over five sessions:

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Agrarian Federation leader Eduardo Buzzi said that if the export duties bill is vetoed by the Executive after being approved in Congress by consensus, people “will be in trouble” and warned of a possible new “confrontation situation.”

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With the Rural Society’s Palermo Farm Show in town and with the government set to lose its powers over grain export duties next month, agricultural issues have been recovering some of their 2008 protagonism with the attention naturally centring on the future of the export duties. Within this cluster of issues perhaps the most interesting is the so-called segmentation of export duties on behalf of smaller farmers — no less of a debate because of the apparent consensus in its favour among the four main farming organizations since there are serious doubts about the practicability of this discrimination to benefit smallholders.

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The 124th Rural Society farm show in Palermo, which opened its doors on Thursday, offers the Cristina Fernández de Kirchner administration a promising opportunity to undo some of the damage from the grain export duties conflict of 2008 by rolling back some of those duties at next weekend’s official inauguration although there is little sign of the national authorities seizing this chance (for readers new to town we should explain that the annual agricultural showcase traditionally starts at the end with its official inauguration just before its close).

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Buenos Aires Palermo Agro-Fair takes off with the export levies conflict latent Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri inaugurated the 124th edition of the Agriculture, Livestock and Industry Fair organized by the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) that will open on Saturday in the Palermo grounds. SRA head Hugo Biolcati was also present and took the opening honours along with the city Mayor.

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One: A legend of Brazil’s journalism went out of newsprint this week. The centenary Jornal do Brasil announced it will, starting September 1, no longer appear on paper and will only remain alive online. The reasons? Rising operational costs, debt and declining circulation figures. The Brazilian newspaper association was quick to say the JB situation was isolated and that the industry as a whole was sound.

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Argentina proposes gradual elimination of Mercosur double charge common tariff Argentina proposed the gradual elimination of the Mercosur Common External Tariff, AEC, double charge and hopes the initiative will receive a first approval before Buenos Aires has to turn over the rotating chair of the trade group to Brazil next August.

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Buenos Aires Palermo Agro-Fair takes off with the export levies conflict latent Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri inaugurated the 124th edition of the Agriculture, Livestock and Industry Fair organized by the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) that will open on Saturday in the Palermo grounds. SRA head Hugo Biolcati was also present and took the opening honours along with the city Mayor.

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The polar wave that has trapped the Southern Cone of South America has caused an estimated one hundred deaths and killed thousands of cattle, according to the latest reports on Monday from Argentina, south of Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Bolivia. Deaths were caused by hypothermia or gas intoxication from defective burners and heaters.

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Argentina confident soy-oil dispute with China will be solved “in the short term” Argentine Ambassador to China, César Mayoral announced in Beijing that the soybean oil conflict with Beijing that has been ongoing since the beginning of the year “will be solved in the short term.”

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Argentina's beef exports in May rose slightly from April, but were still down sharply on the year as the government continued to limit shipments to boost local supply and keep down prices. In May, Argentina shipped 11,297 metric tons of fresh and processed beef, up from 8,389 tons in April but down sharply from the 26,827 tons shipped a year earlier, according to the animal sanitation service, Senasa.

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The City's Social Development Minister María Eugenia Vidal confirmed the death of an infant last night due to the extremely cold temperatures being registered in the city due to a cold wave. Meanwhile, the Red Solidaria charity organization confirmed that eight people have died so far around the country.

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Extremely low temperatures across the country reached below zero levels in several provinces and brought snow upon the coastal region of the Buenos Aires province, causing traffic disruption and car accidents. Two accidents involving a car and three trucks were registered this morning on route N°3 in the Tres Arroyos area due to a slippery road, consequence of an intense snowfall.

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Argentina and China signed a deal for Beijing to invest US$10 billion ($14 billion) in the South American nation's railways during a visit by the Argentine President but there was no sign of progress in a dispute over soy imports.

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Argentine Rural Society Hugo Biolcati spoke before the Rural Exhibition kicks off for a new season at La Rural in Buenos Aires City. He took advantage of the opportunity to show a harsh stance toward the government, and stated: "The President has stopped attacking us, for she knows we are the cornerstone of the country's economy." Agrarian Federation leader Eduardo Buzzi spoke of the matter as well and anticipated a new "farming sector demonstration soon."

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Argentina/China sign 18 agreements; discussions to solve soy-oil dispute China and Argentina signed 18 agreements covering infrastructure, energy and railway projects on Tuesday during Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner second day official visit which included talks with her Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao and with Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu.

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