RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Argentina’s main agricultural organizations on Tuesday, May 18, agreed to suspend sales of all beef categories for 9 days, in rejection of the Argentine government’s decision to suspend beef exports for 30 days.
The decision was taken after a meeting between the presidents of the trade associations Cra, Coninagro, Sociedad Rural, and Federación Agraria, and implies that no beef will be sold in the country between Thursday, May 20 and Friday, May 28.
Yesterday, the government of Alberto Fernández announced in a press release its decision to suspend beef exports for 30 days in order to contain domestic prices, as part of its attempt to contain the high inflation affecting the country.
Loss of share
Beef producers argue that the decision will impair the sector’s international reputation and give room to competitors from other countries, and claim that it will not achieve the purpose of lowering prices.
The suspension of exports proposed by the government is not something new in Argentina.
In the past, during the administrations of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández, similar measures were taken that led the sector to lose its share in the international market.