MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina drops to seventh place among global beef exporters

Argentina will drop from fourth to seventh place among world beef exporters this year, after having climbed in 2005 to the third position according to the latest information from the country's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food.

Export restrictions imposed by President Nestor Kirchner's administration to impede domestic prices from soaring is indicated as responsible for the fall in the country's world ranking behind India, United States, New Zealand and Uruguay. Top of the list as the world's main exporters are Brazil and Australia. According to the recent agreement reached with the beef industry and cattle farmers in Argentina, monthly exports are capped at 40.000 tons, totaling 500.000 at the end of the year. In 2003, Argentina ranked third with an export volume of 762.000 tons. However in 2006 and with restrictions in place (since March) the volume dropped to 556.000 tons and Argentina ranked fourth. This year the Agriculture Department estimates Argentina will fall further, to seventh place, behind Uruguay for the second year running, and also behind United States and New Zealand. Uruguay's cattle herd is in the range of 11 million head, a fifth of Argentina's 55 million.