Buenos Aires - Argentine Economy Minister Martin Lousteau got the boot from President Cristina Kirchner after four months in office over a farmers strike and differences within her administration over economic policy, national media reported Friday, citing a ministry spokesman.

Lousteau's replacement is to be the head of the tax agency, Carlos Fernandez, according to a report in La Nacion newspaper.

Speculation had swirled recently that Lousteau, 37, who resigned late Thursday, would depart because he had been the driving force behind a tax hike on soya exports that caused a three-week farmers strike last month, had clashed with Domestic Commerce Secretary Guillermo Moreno and disagreed with Kirchner on the risk of inflation.

The government's official annual inflation rate last year was 8.5 per cent, but independent institutions accused the government, and foremost Moreno, of altering the way inflation was calculated. They put the actual inflation rate at 20 to 26 per cent.

Since the election of Kirchner's husband, Nestor, as president in 2003, Argentina has carried out a policy of strict control of the economy. Thanks to higher world prices for such Argentine products as soya, sunflower oil and beef, its economy has been growing nearly as quickly as China's.

Cristina Kirchner has continued the economic policies of her husband's administration since she took office in December. However, the growth of Argentina's economy has slowed substantially recently. (dpa)