The April Consumer Prices Index, CPI, in Argentina registered a 0.8% increase according to an official release from the questioned Statistics and Census Office, Indec. The index is half what private analysts were estimating and is bound to re-ignite the controversy about the alleged manipulation of Indec by the Kirchners' administrations.
Argentine striking farmers completed the second day of their renewed protest with an open meeting in one of the country's northern provinces warning that the country is beginning to feel recession symptoms because of the stoppage, while from Buenos Aires the Kirchners administration continued with their verbal attack calling them greedy and irresponsible.
Hardliners have taken over the Argentine administration of President Mrs. Kirchner determined to a complete victory over the farmers in the current conflict, while pickets of hooligans have taken to the streets to intimidate businesses to moderate prices thus helping to combat the country's spiraling inflation.
A thin rain of ashes in suspension from the Chilean volcano Chaitén which became active last Friday and have blanketed vast areas of Chilean and Argentine Patagonia began reaching Buenos Aires City atmosphere on Thursday.
Bad weather may reduce Argentina's soybean crop below previous forecasts this year but the precise outlook is still unclear, Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World said this week.
Frustrated Argentine farmers returned on Wednesday to protest pickets in the country's highways following 21 days of conflict and 36 of truce during which no sound agreements were reached with the reluctant and stubborn President Kirchner administration.
The head of the main ferry system in the River Plate will be joining the Spanish owned Aerolíneas Argentinas as one of the leading shareholders, once the air carrier has been audited according to reports in the Buenos Aires press.
The extended Argentine farmers/government conflict, which was triggered in early March when the new sliding export taxes system was announced, and its renewed eight days of protest, have left an estimated 44 million tons of grains and oil seeds unsold, valued in approximately 12 billion US dollars, according to market analysts interviewed by the Buenos Aires press.
In spite of conflicting versions over the latest round of talks between Argentine farmers and government representatives both sides agreed on a recess until tomorrow Wednesday when they will retake discussions on the sliding export levies which triggered a three weeks conflict in March and promises of more if no agreement is reached.
Argentina's fisheries exports in the first quarter totaled 85.320 tons, equivalent to 177 million US dollars which represents a drop of 15%, volume and money; 15.422 tons and 31.7 million US dollars less, according to the latest official release.