Argentina-Grain and beef exports.

ARGENTINA-GRAIN EXPORTS.

The Chamber of the Argentine Oil Industry (CIARA) and the Grain Exporters Centre (CEC) yesterday cashed in exports worth over 531 million dollars on last week’s trading. The two entities combined represent a third of Argentina’s exports.

Sources at both organizations said export revenue through last Friday exceeded 5.128 billion dollars. Export revenue cashed in for the week betwen April 21 and April 24 totalled 531,036,882 dollars.

Meanwhile the Rosario Grain Exchange said grain quotations yesterday reflected "the strong impact of the fall of foreign markets and their demand for agricultural products due to the outbreak of the swine flu."

COMPENSATIONS. Also yesterday, the ONCCA agricultural trade watchdog said it cleared 24,704,432pesos in state compensation to dairy farmers, wheat growers, flour mills, poultry slaughterhouses and feed lots.

In a statement, the ONCCA said 85 feed lots received a total of 13,711,318 pesos while two flour mills were paid $561,015 in all. Five poultry slaughterhouses received a total of $8,013,197 and wheat growers picked up $1,453,366. Also, 281 bills worth a combined $965,534 were paid to dairy farmers.

SPEEDIER BEEF EXPORTS. Meanwhile the ONCCA yesterday also cleared high-quality beef cuts for export using the so-called Roe Rojo procedure facility for joint export projects between slaughterhouses and cattle-breeders.