Argentinean boss impressed by NZ beef

The president of the Angus Association of Argentina, Alejandro Salemme, says Argentinean and New Zealand cattle farmers have much in common. Mr Salemme (second from right) and vice-president Alfonso Bustillo (left) together with three of their compatriots were part of the eight-strong contingent to travel to New Zealand to take part in the World Angus Forum events. Photo by Ruth Grundy.

Mr Salemme's family has been breeding red and black Angus for the past 80 years.

Although Argentineans were among the world's largest consumers of meat - each person working their way through 60kg of meat a year - beef producers had to operate within the constraints of their government's strict rules and quotas, he said.

Most of the country's beef production, about 90%, had to remain in the country to supply the domestic market and very little, about 10%, could be exported, he said.

But he expected this would change.

Much about the approach to farming cattle in New Zealand was similar to Argentina - both countries used predominantly a grass-based system.

However, the results New Zealand farmers achieved were ''amazing''.

''The steers are so big.''

Mr Salemme said exporters were also hugely envious of the good trade relationships New Zealand had with markets such as Japan.