MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Camp protests

Three of Argentina's main four farm organizations began this week a six days stoppage of activities that will extend until tomorrow Saturday.

The protest that included blocking some of the country's main highways is in demand of lower taxes and interest rates, cheaper fuel and against spiraling "production costs".

Although livestock and grain markets in Buenos Aires and Rosario came to a stop, perishables such as dairy products, fruit and vegetables were allowed to circulate, ensuring a normal supply to populated areas.

This is the first farmers challenge to the De la Rúa administration that recently extended some limited relief to the Camp. However farmers believe is not enough.

"Out of every 100 liters of fuel oil, 40 are tax, there's no way you can make ends meet or compete with these costs", said Ernesto Ambrosetti head of the Economics Department of the Argentine Rural Society, SRA.

Although the Sociedad Rural Argentina did not officially join the protest, it had a release published in Buenos Aires newspapers indicating that more than a strike "what is at stake is the future of the Argentine Camp".

Effectively, not all farmers favored the "half" strike. Cattle breeders after two months of market inactivity because of the sanitary ring imposed in some areas following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease were not so convinced.

"Showing city dwellers empty corrals with no cattle, has a powerful media impact, but it won't solve our problems", underlined the SRA release.

No incidents were reported until mid week.