MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

South America Breaking News.

Chubut fisheries exports

Argentine Patagonian province Chubut fisheries exports in 2000 reached 179 million and income from all types of wool foreign sales, almost 100 million US dollars. However total exports from Chubut, according to statistics from the Production Ministry Foreign Trade Department reached 1,345 billion US dollars, mainly oil and energy, 695 million US dollars, and aluminum manufacture 348 million US dollars. This means oil and energy represented 52% of foreign sales; aluminum manufacture 26%; fisheries 13% and wool 7%. The statistics were released by the provincial government in Rawson. Statistics also claim that overall exports in the last five years have increased 40%.

Brazil's Amazon destruction advances

The destruction of Brazil's Amazon rainforest jumped to a five year high in spite of government's efforts and belief that forest clearance was decreasing. Satellite images analyzed by the official Brazilian Space Research Institute reveal that between 1999 and 2000, an area almost the size of Belgium, 20.000 square kilometers were cleared, a 15% increase over 1998. Mary Allegretti, Amazon Affairs Secretary blamed the deforestation on an improved business climate following the 1999 strong recovery. "Logging companies and farmers in search of land were particularly active", said Ms.Allegretti, adding that the government is considering a licensing system to contain the deforestation. However in the coming weeks, the Brazilian Congress is scheduled to consider a bill which allows Amazon farmers to clear greater areas and utility companies to build more energy plants. Environmentalist research institutes forecast that if the government continues to promote its road building and farming programmes in the Amazon, 40% of total rainforest could be lost in 20 years.

Free shop in C. Rivadavia

Punta Arenas Free Shop Area officials are not very concerned about the recent opening of a free shop area in Comodoro Rivadavia in a five acres ground. "As far as we know the Comodoro Rivadavia free shop will not be open to the public and will only cater to local industry. It will act mainly as a non duty area for fisheries and oil ind