MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine vote intention for the presidential elections.

Headlines: Kirchner and Menem rebound; Tariff free berries for Europe; Argentine animal exports boom

Kirchner and Menem rebound

Néstor Kirchner and Carlos Menem from the ruling party and Elisa Carrió the main opposition candidate are leading in vote intention for the coming April Argentine presidential elections according to the latest opinion poll published in Buenos Aires. However none of the candidates manages to cross the 20% threshold. Mr. Kirchner who, after having reached an agreement with the ruling Eduardo Duhalde administration seems to have began growing figures with 16,1%, a three points increase from the last poll. He's followed closely by opposition Deputy Elisa Carrió who managed 13,4%, a slight change form the previous 12,8%. Former president Carlos Menem also jumped almost three points from 9,8% to 12,1%. Other presidential hopefuls, Adolfo Rodríguez Sás is fourth with 10,9% and independent Economist Ricardo López Murphy 8,7%. Those interviewed who answered they would vote blank or annul their vote, 6,2% and 5%, figure ahead of Rodolfo Terragano, (1,2%) the candidate for the other "big" Argentine political party, the Radicales belonging to former presidents Raúl Alfonsín and Fernando de la Rúa. According to the Ibope poll, all leading candidates are well known among the electorate, particularly Mr. Menem. However Mr. Menem who is considered a "very good" presidential candidate by public opinion, is also the one that 54,9% "would never vote for". Mr. Menem comes out with best marks considering, "credibility" 7,1%; "social sensitivity" 8,7%; "capacity to generate consensus" 18,4%; "capacity to rule" 8,9%; "government team" 5,5%; "adapting Argentina to the new international context" 15,6% and "own criteria", 16,4%. Ms. Elisa Carrió is considered the candidate with "most innovative ideas" 7% and 15,9% believe that economist Lopez Murphy is capable of managing crisis situations such as experienced by Argentina. Mr. Kirchner figures at the bottom of the rejection list with just 1,7% compared to 17% for Ms. Carrió and 7,8% for López Murphy. This means Mr. Kirchner is seen as the hopeful with best chances of becoming Argentina's next president. Three candidates belong to the ruling Justicialista party, although in serious contention among themselves, Mr. Kirchner, Mr. Menem and Mr. Rodríguez Sáa. Two independent candidates, Ms. Carrió representing the left and Mr. López Murphy a Conservative liberal. Rodolfo Terragano is running for the Radicales. As to political parties 43% have no a priori rejection, while 20,5% would never vote the Justicialista ruling party and 15,4% the Radicales of former president De la Rúa. The poll was done between January 20/24, interviewing 1,100 people above 18 in all of Argentina's main cities.

Tariff free berries for Europe

A shipment of fresh fruit destined to France and Britain inaugurated the Chile-European Union free trade agreement that was subscribed last November in Brussels and became effective February 2003. The "berries" shipment included 336 and 192 two kilo boxes of fresh raspberry and mulberry for Paris and 350 and 88 boxes for London. "Berries" is one of the many products included in the free trade agreement reached between Chile and the European Union. "This is a very symbolic occasion" said Mr. Gustavo Salinas, who represents one of Chile's main berries exporting companies. Commenting on the coming into effect of the free trade agreement Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Soledad Alvear said "this will help advance our trade and improve the quality of life of Chileans". The agreement consists of six tariff reduction categories, meaning that as of February 85% of Chilean exports will have free access to the European Union, covering 7,784 products. In an official release the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that as of February 2003 the mechanism to solve trade disputes and cooperation in areas such as technical regulations, agriculture, rural development and fisheries also became effective. In 2002 bilateral trade with the European Union reached 6,956 billion US dollars of which 4,258 billion Chilean exports. Mrs. Soledad Alvear said the agreement should represent a 15/20% increase in exports to the European Union equivalent to 640 to 850 million US dollars.

Argentine animal exports boom

Argentina's animal exports reached over two billion US dollars in 2002, a considerable recovery from 2001 when the country's overseas sales were cursed by the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. Fisheries exports last year totaled 273,556 tons equivalent to over 364 million US dollars a 21% and 13% stride over 2001. Similarly with dairy products that jumped 48% with 210,000 tons and 314 million US dollars income. However the greatest showing corresponds to beef and by products that almost doubled, 94%, reaching 480 million US dollars. Honey experienced a modest 11% rise with overseas shipments totaling 114 million US dollars.