News of food

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

UN: Argentina could lose 850,000 jobs in 2020 amid virus crisis

27-06-2020 07:59 Child poverty in Argentina could reach 58% by the end of the year, warns United Nations in new report.

by Lorena Rodríguez

FOOD & DRINK

World's best restaurant serves food in phase with the moon

24-06-2020 19:22 Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco – the first foreign chef ever to get the maximum three Michelin stars in France – said he decided to make the leap during the coronavirus lockdown as he sought solace in his vegetable patch.

CONGRESS

Cafiero faces flurry of questions in Congress début

20-06-2020 10:44 Cabinet chief defends move to nationalise Vicentin, says pensions have improved in real terms.

Life in quarantine

Hungry neighbours cook together as virus roils Latin America

19-06-2020 19:56 Economic shutdowns have forced poor Peruvians, Argentines and tens of millions of others to fall back on community-based food kitchens, unseen in large numbers since crises like Peru’s 1990s civil war or Argentina’s financial crash two decades ago.

FOOD & DRINK

Revolutionising the global food system

13-06-2020 09:59 Franco Fubini, CEO of food and veg supplier Natoora, says people have become disconnected from their plates. In an interview with the Times, he explains the importance of fresh produce – and how his firm adapted to thrive amid the coronavirus pandemic.

by Bruna Fontevecchia

Coronavirus pandemic

Costlier food hits Latin America’s poor and adds to unrest risk

11-05-2020 13:03 A jump in food prices across Latin America is bringing added misery to the poorest families hit by the coronavirus pandemic and increasing the chance of social unrest.

ARGENTINA CORONAVIRUS IN THE CAPITAL

Virus fears begin to haunt Buenos Aires’ crowded Villa 31 slum

09-05-2020 10:35 With the traffic of the city rushing by above, Villa 31 is a symbol of Argentina's inequality. Until this week, the area had been relatively spared by the pandemic, but fears are growing among officials and residents.

MINISTRY POSITIONS

Social policy collides with scandal

11-04-2020 10:42 Born in the Greater Buenos Aires district of Morón, Social Development Minister Daniel Fernando Arroyo has made social policy his exclusive focus since starting his university studies (UBA) more than three decades ago.

by Michael Soltys

ARGENTINA & THE PANDEMIC

Food producers’ exports ravaged by coronavirus

11-04-2020 09:54 Produce-rich Argentina’s exports have plunged, particularly to China, amid coronavirus worldwide lockdown.

Survival during quarantine

Desperate hunt for food by Peru's poor amid virus quarantine

08-04-2020 07:21 Pandemic has spotlighted the wide gap between rich and poor in Peru. Economists say a looming recession worse than any since World War II could push the continent's long-suffering poor into even more dire circumstances.

Food-purchase scandal

Government under fire for overpaying on food purchases

07-04-2020 17:12 Social Development Minister Daniel Arroyo asks official responsible for overpaying for foodstuffs to resign, amid fierce criticism from opposition.

Coronavirus pandemic

President Fernández extends mandatory quarantine period until April 12

29-03-2020 22:55 Alberto Fernández praises citizens for complying with shutdown, announces "preventative and obligatory" quarantine period for all citizens will be extended until midnight on Sunday, April 12.

POVERTY IN THE PANDEMIC

Argentina’s poorest faces up to challenges amid shutdown

28-03-2020 10:57 Low-income neighbourhoods are organising themselves against Covid-19, with social organisations playing a key role for those on the breadline.

Coronavirus pandemic

In Quilmes, military steps in to assist food deliveries, hospitals

25-03-2020 19:38 Army steps in on the outskirts of Buenos Aires in bid to help Argentina's most vulnerable to help curbing the coronavirus pandemic impact on Argentina's most vulnerable persons.

Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus in Argentina: Worst yet to come, quarantine may be extended

24-03-2020 12:03 Extension of nationwide lockdown is "a possibility" admits President Fernández, as experts warn the number of confirmed cases will double or treble in the coming weeks as testing is decentralised.

Coronavirus pandemic

Officials confirm 31 new cases of coronavirus, taking total to 128

20-03-2020 12:55 There are now 128 people who have been infected with the new coronavirus in Argentina, of which three have died, according to data from the Health Ministry.

Coronavirus pandemic

President Fernández orders nationwide lockdown in bid to contain virus

20-03-2020 00:15 Alberto Fernández announces "preventative and compulsory" lockdown of Argentina, from midnight tonight until March 31, in bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Coronavirus pandemic

Governors to meet President Fernández for talks on 'total quarantine'

19-03-2020 12:32 Reports suggest "total quarantine" being considered by president, who will meet with governors at 5pm at Olivos.

Coronavirus pandemic

Fernández vows to clamp down on virus price gouging

17-03-2020 12:04 Peronist president says he will put "AFIP to work against speculators," saying he will not "tolerate rogues taking us for fools."

Venezuela in crisis

Anger as Maduro urges Venezuela's women to have six children

05-03-2020 14:05 Much-criticised president's comments come with his nation gripped by nation-wide food, clothes, and healthcare shortages.

Bloomberg

Agri-food giant Molino Cañuelas considers US$1.4-billion bankruptcy

01-03-2020 21:30 one of Argentina's largest food and grain mill producers is nearing bankruptcy, after 18 months of fruitless negotiations with creditors to restructure a US$1.4-billion debt.

Crisis in Venezuela

UN study: 1 of every 3 Venezuelans is facing hunger

24-02-2020 09:33 The study found that a total of 9.3 million people are moderately or severely food insecure, as wages stay stagnant amid unprecedented hyperinflation.

FOOD & DRINK

Doing things Properly

15-02-2020 09:54 They don’t have a sign outside their entrance and do not take reservations, but four years after opening, Proper is still shaking up Buenos Aires’ restaurant scene with their forward-thinking creations.

by Bruna Fontevecchia

POVERTY & HUNGER

Argentina’s double trouble: reducing poverty and debt

06-02-2020 16:42 President Alberto Fernández launches food coupons as a temporary solution to reduce poverty and hunger among vulnerable populations in Argentina.

Bloomberg

Brazil looks to India as trade with Argentina deteriorates

15-01-2020 23:26 Brazil sees a huge potential for its exports of food and commodities, and a chance to increase its US$7 billion in annual bilateral trade with India to US$25 billion in the next few years.

PRICE RISES

Prices to rise 7% on average as IVA restored to basic food items

02-01-2020 18:13 Milk will not rise, however. Some basic food items have been exempt from IVA since Mauricio Macri scrapped the taxation last August, following his catastrophic results in the PASO primary to Alberto Fernández.

Poverty

New UCA report puts Argentina's poverty level at 40.8%

06-12-2019 15:06 Some 16 million Argentines now below the poverty line, with 3.6 million living in extreme poverty, reports UCA's Observatorio de la Deuda Social.

ELECTION 2019

Alberto Fernández launches plan to tackle hunger in Argentina

07-10-2019 17:55 Presidential hopeful unveils 'Argentina sin Hambre' programme with criticism of Macri administration. Candidate will seek to bring together officials, representatives from companies and leaders of social organisations in order to tamp down prices.

Congress

Senate approves Food Emergency law as demonstrators demand action

19-09-2019 10:35 Lawmakers in the upper house offer unanimous approval for the legislation, which will boost aid packages by roughly eight million pesos.

POVERTY

Food on the table the priority for nation’s poorest

13-09-2019 23:34 Talk of the exchange rate and the dollar is mostly absent in Villa 21-24, the urban face of Argentina’s economic crisis.

FOOD EMERGENCY

After tension, Cambiemos backs food emergency bill in lower house

13-09-2019 23:28 Ruling coalition backs opposition bill in lower house, after tense week that saw clashes between police and protesters camping out on Avenida 9 de Julio.

argentina

What we learned this week: September 8 to 13

13-09-2019 23:11 Key stories from the last seven days.

'FOOD EMERGENCY'

Chamber of Deputies approves emergency food bill

12-09-2019 18:18 The legislation, which now faces approval by the Senate, would include a 50 percent increase for nutritional programs.

'HISTORIC AGREEMENT'

China turns to Argentine soy meal in fresh blow to US farmers

10-09-2019 22:01 Asian giant is finally allow in soy meal imports from Argentina after two decades of fruitless talks, Agriculture Ministry announces.

'FOOD EMERGENCY'

Opposition unites to call for 'Food Emergency' session amid more protests

10-09-2019 15:47 Politicians from across the opposition benches agreed Monday to unify their legislative projects on the topic into a single bill.

argentina

What we learned this week: September 1 to 6

07-09-2019 01:16 Key stories from the last seven days.

Editorial

Food for thought

07-09-2019 01:11 With no market mayhem to crowd out all other news (as August’s weird alternation of calm one week and chaos the next now continues into its second month), food was one common denominator of the past week’s main issues.

TECHNOLOGY

New food app Pinny to launch in Buenos Aires on Thursday

05-09-2019 09:20 Forget Rappi and Glovo – there's a new food app in town connecting users with amateur chefs and it launches in Buenos Aires today.

MASTICAR

10th annual Masticar food festival draws large crowds, despite the August chill

19-08-2019 12:11 Popular food festival delivers another record turn-out, offering attendees artisanal vendors, international dishes, cooking classes and plenty of beer.

by Lucas Robinson

PASO FALL-OUT

Macri moves to eliminate IVA from food items

15-08-2019 20:48 President moves to eliminate IVA (VAT, value-added tax) from basic food products – such as bread, milk and other foods – until December.

ELECTION 2019

Lavagna calls for 'dialogue,' suspension of election campaign amid crisis

15-08-2019 17:09 'Third way' presidential candidate asks Macri to declare 'food and healthcare emergency' and asks for leaders to work together in order to address impact of ongoing economic turmoil.

Climate Crisis

UN climate report: Change land use to avoid a hungry future

08-08-2019 13:22 Report states human land use will trigger cycle of scarcer of more expensive food.

DELIVERY APPS

Rodríguez Larreta wades in delivery apps row after 'inspection' ruling

05-08-2019 17:43 Buenos Aires City mayor defends Glovo, Rappi and Pedidos Ya delivery apps, saying they "they are legally constituted, pay their taxes and are used by many people," as he criticises judge who issued controversial ruling.

FORMER PRESIDENT

CFK slammed after comparing food insecurity in Argentina to Venezuela

29-07-2019 16:48 "Sorry, but today, with food, we are the same as Venezuela," declares Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, whose comments were met with immediate pushback from politician, analysts and Venezuelans.

WORKERS' RIGHTS

Venezuela migrants propel billion-dollar delivery app

29-07-2019 15:43 Rappi, like similar companies, has also come under criticism for its modern-day labour practices, which reflect some of the shortcomings of the gig economy.

Inflation

Inflation continues to decelerate as INDEC reveals prices rose 2.7% in June

16-07-2019 19:51 June marks the third consecutive month of decelerating inflation. Cumulative inflation for the first half of the year now totals 22.4%, with increases of 55.8% registered over last 12 months.

by Jonah Shrock