Argentina's biggest agricultural products exchange market has said the country's farm produce exports are paralyzed by the current strike and roadblocks by angry farmers.
An analysis report from Rosario Mercantile Exchange said agricultural exports from Rosario Port fell to less than 1 percent of their normal level because the roads leading to the port have been blocked by striking farm workers.
The report said only 32 trucks with 960 tons of grain products arrived in Rosario port, a major agricultural export port in Argentina, on Tuesday, in stark contrast to 165,000 tons daily during normal times.
A total of 2.8 million tons of farm produce were planned to be exported via Rosario and San Lorenzo ports between March 18 and April 17. The report said the target will be difficult to be reached.
Large cargo ships are starting to divert to ports in Brazil and Uruguay, as the ports in Argentina still charge them 60,000 to 80,000 U.S. dollars a day for waiting there in vain.
The farmers began their protest two weeks ago after a new sliding-scale tax was announced that would replace a fixed tax and make levies on soy exports significantly higher at current prices.
Taxes on soybeans, a major Argentine export, are being hiked from 35 percent to 45 percent, with smaller increases on corn and other farm products. Opponents say the higher tax would harm smaller farmers.
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez urged farmers on Thursday to call off a strike and start talks, but four major agricultural groups embroiled in the strike said on Tuesday the protest would continue indefinitely.
Source:Xinhua
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