Argentine farm strike partially reinstated

By Fiona Ortiz

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Farmers reinstated their strike in parts of Argentina on Saturday after talks with the government failed to address their concerns about higher taxes on soy exports.

The farm protest began 17 days ago, emptying meat counters and paralyzing grains exports from agricultural powerhouse Argentina, one of the world's top suppliers of soy.

Farm groups had called off the strike on Friday night, allowing trucks with agricultural products to circulate for the first time in more than two weeks, and sat down at the government palace for negotiations.

The government proposed measures to protect the interests of small-scale farmers and also said it would lift a months-long ban on wheat exports during the late-night meeting.

But farmers said they were mostly disappointed with the negotiations and roadblocks were reinstated in San Pedro in northern Buenos Aires province and in the province of Entre Rios early on Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon the FAA farming federation, one of the big-four Argentine agriculture groups, voted to extend the protest and hold back all products except milk from market.

"They need to suspend the (new, higher) export taxes for 90 days ... Since the president, who could have decided to do that last night, did not... we are continuing the protest until Wednesday," FAA President Eduardo Buzzi said live on television after an assembly.

The other three big farmer groups were meeting to decide their next steps.