The Argentine Central Bank must ensure that the flight of capital does not erode the “wealth of the country”, warned a former head of the bank, who revealed that since the beginning of the crisis 34 billion US dollars had fled from South America’s second largest economy.
The freezer vessel Mataco II, owned by Harengus SA and the Amaltal Fishing Company, sank Tuesday night some 40 nautical miles (70 kilometres) from Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz, in the midst of a severe storm.
Brazilian and Argentine manufacturers reach a tentative understanding to privilege the two countries markets and exports which should help overcome the ongoing trade dispute among Mercosur main partners.
Argentina produced 37,262 cars in April which is 1.7% less than the previous month and down 31.8% from a year ago, the automotive manufacturers association, Adefa, reported Wednesday. April exports dropped 23.8% compared to April 2008, totaling 23,249 cars, but increased 12.6% from March. Brazil was by far the leading export market, taking about 84% of exports.
Argentina’s cereals and oil seeds exports are forecasted to drop to 13.8 billion US dollars in this 2008/09 crop which means 56% less compared to the 31.9 billion of the 2007/08 crop according to a paper from the Argentine Agrarian Federation, FAA.
Following on fear tactics, Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner warned that if in the coming June mid term elections the government looses its majority “we’ll be back at the explosive Argentina of 2001”.
Argentina is forecasted to plant the smallest wheat crop on record because of drought and export restrictions, according to the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange. Planting will fall as low as 3.7 million hectares this fall that would be the smallest since the Exchange began recording such data in 1910.
The History Channel will be screening next June a film on the Falkland Islands war and the fire baptism of the Argentine Air Force, it was announced this week in Buenos Aires.
Since 2005 Argentina has consumed 25% of its natural gas reserves, 15% of oil reserves and the Mar Argentino (South Atlantic) which has “great possibilities remains virtually untouched”, reads a critical report on the outlook for the Argentine energy sector compiled by eight former Energy Secretaries from different governments.
Former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner and head of the country’s largest Justicialista party called on voters to support the ruling coalition in the coming mid term elections of next June 28 to avoid a collapse back into the 2001/02 scenario