tons. While these rules were not always in place in previous years/decades, Argentina still has not become a massive exporter of beef, but an exporter nonetheless. Even while beef exports are not fully developed for a larger contribution to the Argentine economy, Argentina has been a major player in the world beef market for many years, due in large part to the reputation of Argentine beef. From 2006 to 2015, beef exports were restricted by quota. Mauricio Macri removed the restrictions when he became president of Argentina. Volume of beef exported substantially increased. In 2005, Argentina couldn't sell more than 700,000 metric tons outside the country. In 2015, only 200,000 metric tons was exported. In May 2021, the new government decided to ban export for a month, except for the Hilton Quota. It had exported 933,000 tons of meat in the 12 previous months before the ban. The country slightly opened its industry to export during 2021. The government proposed to continue restrictions in 2022. China is the main client, buying 75% of beef exported from Argentina. Cattle breeds Shorthorn Originally from northeast England, the shorthorn was introduced to Argentina in 1826 and was the first foreign breed to enter the country. As in many other countries, Argentina's selection was designated to produce not only meat but milk as well. Nowadays, Argentina's Shorthorn breed has been bred to greatly improve its meat quality thanks to hybridisation (crossbreeding) as has been demonstrated at the National Agropecuarian Technology Center. Characteristics: considerable size; wide back and forequarters. A couple of centuries ago, they used to lack symmetry and uniformity. Hereford Produced with the objective of responding to England's food market expansion during Britain's industrial revolution the Hereford is known for its high yield of beef. It was first introduced to Argentina in 1858, and is characterized by its juice and flavor consistency. Just as the Argentina's Shorthorn has evolved, so did the Argentine Hereford through crossbreeding with local breeds. Characteristics: high yield of beef; wide back; early maturity; rustling ability and hardiness. Aberdeen Angus Originally from Scotland, the Aberdeen Angus were first introduced to Argentina by Don Carlos Guerrero in 1879. They are generally found in temperate climates. Instead of focusing on crossbreeding in order to strength their qualities, Argentine farmers decided to focus on a purebred evolution based on natural and high-quality nutrition. Characteristics: maternal skills; highly fertile; growth capacity; climate adaptation;