MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
First shipment of Argentine lemons to the US in 17 years
Argentina sent its first shipment of lemons to the United States in 17 years, a few months after President Donald Trump authorized citrus imports from the country. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesArgentine president Mauricio Macri couldn't resist the photo-op in front of the lemons truckload.
Apr 21st, 2018 - 03:13 am - Link - Report abuse 0Perhaps resuming lemons' exports to the U.S. may compensate the February 2018 trade deficit of USD 903 million, which ballooned from USD 217 million in February 2017 and means massive imports of food products that compete with local production, devastating the regional economies.
Argentina has been importing clementines from Uruguay, sweet potatoes from Brazil, raisins from India, potatoes, oranges, apples, carrots, pork meat and supreme irony, yerba mate! (Argentina's national infusion) and dulce de leche (creme caramel). And while the argument for opening the doors wide to imports was that local prices would be lowered as a result, this has not happened--on the contrary, consumer prices have been steadily increasing.
Slowly but surely, abusive increases in energy prices to consumers and businesses are building a sea of indignation, expressed in country wide marches against the government's allowed “tarifazo,” or steep bill increases that among others benefit Shell, of which Energy minister Juan Jose Aranguren was CEO until assuming as minister.
As Spain's former dictator Francisco Franco said before he died, “Everything is tied up and well tied up.”
I knew you wouldn't be happy at the news. Not long ago you complained about Argentina buying US soy beans when America hadn't imported a single lemon. Well, now they are importing lemons and I bet you're no less angry about the beans.
Apr 21st, 2018 - 08:30 am - Link - Report abuse +1What on earth is so abusive about charging people the real cost of their energy use? There are MANY better things to spend taxes on like schools and hospitals rather than subsidising people's bills.
If you object to foreign imports so much, why don't you start a movement to buy produce grown in Argentina? That would be a lot more useful than singing rude songs.
At Least the US Farmers ARE Happy!
Apr 23rd, 2018 - 11:52 am - Link - Report abuse -1The Economist:
https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21740769-unpredictable-polices-are-costing-president-fans-donald-trump-alienates-farmers?fsrc=scn/tw/te/bl/ed/donaldtrumpalienatesfarmersapigsearofapolicy
Hi Reekie,
Apr 24th, 2018 - 05:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I've been away travelling to (among other places) the land of your (probable) ancestors. Coincidentally, they are growing a lot of lemons and doing some interesting things with them. :-)
Backtracking to see what I've missed, I've noticed that there are a number of threads were you have made the only comment and there has been no response. You can almost hear the tumbleweed being blown down the street. Are people not considering your messages worthy of response? I wonder why?
“... couldn't resist the photo-op...”
Like CFK never did anything like that? But her photo ops tended not to be in front of actually Argentine product, but either crowds of thugs or the pope.
“Perhaps resuming lemons' exports to the U.S. may compensate the February 2018 trade deficit of USD 903 million”
Probably not, but it is a start.
“Argentina has been importing [product that it doesn't grow enough of itself]”
So what? Why would you deny your people these products at a good price?
”... and supreme irony, yerba mate! (Argentina's national infusion)”
Maybe demand outstrips the amount that can be supplied from Northern Argentina? Again. why would you deny your people...? Also, Britain's national infusion (tea) is 100% imported. Is that irony too?
“And while the argument for opening the doors wide to imports was that local prices would be lowered as a result, this has not happened--on the contrary, consumer prices have been steadily increasing.”
So why are the local farmers complaining then? Or maybe they aren't?
“Slowly but surely...building a sea of indignation”
I think that was happening under CFK. Now, there seems to be a small proportion of the population who are protesting, but the majority seem to be relieved that the CFK era is over and are optimistic for the future. At least this is what I've been told by people who actually live there.
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