MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine vegetables & legumes 2006 export revenue up 18%

Argentina last year exported fresh vegetables and legumes for 264 million dollars, nearly half of which were accounted for by garlic and onion, with fellow Mercosur trade partner Brazil being the main destination.

According to Argentina's phytosanitary Senasa watchdog Argentina last year sold abroad 646,400 tonnes of vegetables for 264 million dollars, an increase of 18 percent in revenue and of 11 percent in volume as compared to exports in 2005, when it exported 582,000 tonnes of vegetables for 225 million dollars. Of the total vegetable and legume exports last year, 354,000 tonnes (sold for 131 million dollars) were accounted for garlic and onion. Garlic exports (from the provinces of Mendoza, San Juan, Buenos Aires, Río Negro, Tucumán and Salta) totalled 101,000 tonnes for 89 million dollars. Brazil â€" Argentina's largest trading partner â€" was the main destination for Argentine garlic last year, with purchases of 55,400 tonnes for 46.2 million dollars, followed by Mexico (10,800 tonnes for 10.7 million dollars), France (6,900 tonnes for 6.94 million dollars), US (5,600 tonnes for 4.9 million dollars) and Spain (5,000 tonnes for 4.9 million dollars), among other markets. Argentine onion exports totalled 253,000 tonnes for 41.2 million dollars. Brazil once again was the main destination. It bought 199,000 tonnes for 31 million dollars. Other destinations were were Belgium (12,700 tonnes), Chile 11,600 tonnes, Spain (6,200 tonnes), Paraguay (5,700 tonnes), Germany (4,900 tonnes) and Britain (2,200 tonnes). Legume exports (namely alubia beans, and peas) totalled last year 252,000 tonnes for 126 million dollars, an increase of 15 percent in volume and of 17 percent in revenue regarding sales in 2005, when 220,000 tonnes were exported for 108 million dollars. Exports of Alubia beans (mainly coming from Salta, Jujuy and Buenos Aires provinces) totalled 111,000 tonnes for 69 million dollars while exports of black beans (from Salta, Tucumán, Mendoza and Jujuy) totalled 66,000 tonnes for 25 million dollars and peas (from santa Fe and Buenos Aires provinces) amounted to 35,000 tonnes for 6.4 million dollars. The main destination for alubia beans was Spain (34,500 tonnes for 21.8 million dollars). Brazil was the main purchaser of black beans (33,400 tonnes for 11.6 million dollars) and peas (19,400 tonnes for 4.2 million dollars), Senasa said.