▁costs , ▁in cap able ▁of ▁compet ing ▁in ▁international ▁mark ets . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁output ▁of ▁be ef ▁and ▁gra in , ▁the ▁country ' s ▁main ▁export ▁goods , ▁st agn ated . ▁The ▁I API ▁began ▁short ch anging ▁grow ers ▁and , ▁when ▁world ▁gra in ▁prices ▁dropped ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁it ▁st if led ▁agricult ural ▁production , ▁exports ▁and ▁business ▁sentiment , ▁in ▁general . ▁ ▁Despite ▁these ▁short com ings , ▁protection ism ▁and ▁government ▁cred its ▁did ▁allow ▁an ▁exponential ▁growth ▁of ▁the ▁internal ▁market : ▁radio ▁sales ▁increased ▁ 6 0 0 % ▁and ▁fr idge ▁sales ▁grew ▁ 2 1 8 %, ▁among ▁others . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁first ▁Five - Year ▁Plan , ▁various ▁public ▁works ▁and ▁programs ▁were ▁executed , ▁with ▁the ▁aim ▁to ▁modern ize ▁the ▁country ' s ▁infrastr ucture . ▁For ▁example , ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 2 ▁hydro elect ric ▁power ▁plants ▁were ▁ere cted , ▁increasing ▁elect rical ▁output ▁from ▁ 4 5   0 0 0 ▁k VA ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁to ▁ 3 5 0   0 0 0 ▁k VA ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁a ▁network ▁of ▁gas ▁pip elines , ▁which ▁linked ▁Com od oro ▁Riv ad avia ▁with ▁Buenos ▁Aires , ▁was ▁built . ▁The ▁gas ▁distribution ▁reached ▁