Everything seems to point to an excellent year for Argentine agro food exportations, and particularly
for beef. Towards the end of this month, it will be one full year without a single registered focus of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) on Argentine territory and this situation will allow the reopening of leading markets,
such as the U.S. and Canada.Days ago, Argentine entrepreneur Victor Tonelli projected that during 2003 over 500,000 tons of red beef could be exported, a volume more than encouraging if you consider that last year
the local commercial chain was dismembered, meat processing plants closed, producers became hopeless and the trust of international consumers was completely lost.
In that sense, the possible reopening of North America
–where over 20,000 tons per year of beef were commercialized last year- is not the only positive indicator received by foreign analysts. During these days, animal health organizations from Chile and Argentina covered
the last details for allowing the reentry of Argentine cuts to its western neighbor, who –prior to the crisis caused by FMD- purchased beef products for over $100 million.
But, traditionally, the goal of Argentine
cuts has been the European Union and this market will also offer hopeful news for 2003. The Hilton quota assigned by Europe to Argentine is 28,000 tons, but next year will be a time for negotiations in order to reach a
permanent increase in volume. On the other hand, during the first three months of next year a visit by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is expected, with the mission of controlling shipments to Europe.
Controls will continue
Projections on the increase of beef exportations are based on an obsessive custody of quality and health in Argentine beef products. The Director of the Argentine National
Service for Health and Food Quality (Senasa) expressed that the sector is only now beginning to take off, based on the decision of "doing things right as well as legally."
The recent currency devaluation caused a
positive effect on the sector, as several meat processing plants reopened their doors causing the recovery of employment.
Over 56 foreign markets allowed the importation of Argentine beef and there are high
possibilities of having this increase even more during the coming months. All these factors should continue to grow, but it is mandatory that Argentina remains seriousness regarding health controls, the regularity of
vaccination and an incisive control of health regulations norms during the different stages of meat processing.
Next year will see deep debates and discussions that will be carried to the center of the meat chain: the
development of the much delayed project known as the Institute for Beef Promotion, formed by the unification of representative voices from the sector and with a goal of effective promotion of beef products.
E-campo.com
