Argentina’s Agroindustrial Council (CAA) issued a statement today saying Argentine meat producers will continue to hold talks with the government with the goal of lifting a one-month suspension on exports of beef. The suspension aimed at curbing domestic food price inflation was declared May 17, much to the chagrin of livestock producers. They responded with a halt of domestic livestock sales that ended at midnight Wednesday. Farm leaders have threatened to again choke off livestock sales and expand the strike to grain sales if progress is not made on talks.
Dardo Chiesa, the coordinator of the Mesa de las Carnes, an association that brings together many in the sector, met with President Alberto Fernandez on Wednesday. A statement released by CAA says, “The representatives of the CAA agreed with the national authorities to deepen the search for long, medium and short-term consensual policies to correct the situation by promoting the supply of food to meet both domestic and export market demand.”
Congressional elections will occur in October this year, and rising beef prices are a sensitive political issue.