Some store shelves in Argentina are empty of one of the most personal hygiene products, tampons, and fingers are pointing at government officials and product importers.

The country is facing a shortage of tampons and it is not clear who is to blame. The Associated Press reported that government officials and product importers are placing the blame on each other. Argentina says shortages are a result of businesses' attempt to raise prices. Businesses, however, are blaming the government for taking too long to issue import permits.

Reports say the country may be experiencing major shortages because Argentina has burned its bridges with foreign creditors. The country's current relationship with creditors has led to tighter supplies of foreign currency.

Although the head of the Chamber of Importers Miguel Ponce blamed government regulations on the shortage of tampons, Cabinet chief Jorge Capitanich said there are no restrictions on importing sensitive products.

Claudio Guerschuny, a Buenos Aires pharmacist, said there are also shortages of adult diapers and children's swim diapers.

"We don't have a single tampon," she said. "Drug stores don't have answers, and they also have not gotten any answers [from the government]."

Johnson and Johnson is one of the main providers of tampons in Argentina, The Guardian reports.

Marcelo Yarmaian, Johnson and Johnson's spokesman, said the shortages were mainly of boxes of the most popular sizes and quantities, not of all tampons.

Johnson and Johnson said it is working with distributors to make sure "the product is available on the shelves shortly."

Daniela Perez, a Buenos Aires president, said she searched high and low for the feminine product.

"I was looking for three days," the 30-year-old said when shopping at a Buenos Aires pharmacy that did not have any tampons in stock.

Ponce says the situation will come under control in a few weeks since people who see the news would more than likely panic and stock up on tampons.

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