Argentina eases restrictions

Argentina has further eased its EXPORT restrictions on beef, which the state government put in place in May to counter the explosion in domestic prices. As of Monday this week, it is allowed to send beef to CHINA again, Agriculture Minister Julián Dominguez said at a meeting with industry officials . According to domestic media reports, these product groups cannot be sold in Argentina and are produced specifically for the Chinese market. For cuts that are important to the supply of the Argentine population, the previous rules that have been in place since the original total export ban was relaxed in June remain in effect.

 The same applies to exports to all other consumer countries. Accordingly, Argentine beef exporters are not allowed to sell half-carcasses, backs, roasts, shoulder and loins, and sausages abroad. Export of other beef cuts is limited. At the same time, supplies in accordance with the "Hilton quota" agreed with the European Union are not subject to the export ban.

The Argentine Farmers Association (SRA) expressed its disappointment with the easing that has now taken place. At the meeting with Dominguez, it was assumed that exports to China would be fully resumed. However, now the change concerns only some types of cuts.

China was the most important global buyer of Argentine beef before the restrictions went into effect in May. In fact, according to the Institute for the Promotion of Beef (IPCVA), three-quarters of the 147,000 tons of beef exported by the South American country in the first three months of this year were sent to China. Dominguez also noted at the meeting that the Central Bank is currently providing soft loans for investment in increasing domestic beef production. The goal, he said, is to increase production to the extent that exports are possible while meeting domestic demand.