ARGENTINE BEEF EXPORTS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28050, 18 August 1956, Page 15

ARGENTINE BEEF EXPORTS

ABILITY TO MAINTAIN RATE DOUBTED

Argentine beef exports are unlikely to be maintained at the level reached this year, according to the Meat and Wool Boards’ Economic Service. Reviewing Smithfield prices for beef in its annual review of the sheep industry, the service recalls that very low prices were received for chilled beef in March and again in May; and low prices persisted for frozen beef throughout March, April and May. “This slump in beef prices was due mainly to heavy arrivals of Argentine beef, which for the first four months of this year totalled 78,500 tons compared with 54,400 tons in the first four months of 1955, and 52,200 tons in the same period of 1954. The question arises whether Argentina can keep up this rate of beef exports. “On the available evidence (which at this distance is rather meagre) the answer seems to be ‘No.’ Because meat production in Argentina has not kept pace with the increase in population, it does not appear likely that the prewar level of about 355.000 tons of beef exports per annum will be reached, though it is possible that about twothirds of that amount could be reached in this present year. “Apart from the basic fact that a much greater quantity of meat is now required for domestic consumption in the Argentine, there are other reasons for suspecting that the present rate of export will not be increased in the near future. “The first reason is that the recent tendency to liquidate cattle stocks on account of more favourable returns from grain and oilseeds may be halted by the decision of June 7, which granted increased cattle prices to farmers. Second, facilities in th? Argentine for transporting, processing and canning meat are not able at the moment to cope with any further increase in killings. Availability of refrigerated shipping is also a limiting factor.”