In January, beef only rose 1.7%, but they admit that it will feel more with the February measurement

The price of beef rose 1.7% last January according to a survey of Institute for the Promotion of Argentine Beef (Ipcva).

Every month, the Ipcva, among other places, in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) surveys 80 butcher shops by telephone and 40 points of sale in supermarkets in person. The average value of meat in that region was $1,241 per kilo.

The percentage increase is far from the 6% reported by INDEC for inflation last January. That agency, meanwhile, reported these increases in Greater Buenos Aires: common minced meat, 7.4%; palette, 3.9%; rump, 3.9%; buttock, 3.3%; frozen hamburgers for four units, 2.3%, and roast 3.5%.

Sources linked to the Ipcva indicated that the increase in January, lower than expected, was due to the measurement period. “The second measurement was from 16 to 20 [de enero] and the big rise occurred from 20″, they counted. They admitted that the largest increase will impact the next survey.

“The prices of the different cuts of beef have registered a variation of +1.7% in January 2023 compared to the previous month. The interannual variation of the average prices of bovine meat stands at +41.8%”, indicated the Ipcva. This last data reflects, in addition, that meat is still far from year-on-year inflation, which gave 98.8%.

By products, last January the main increases were registered in brisket (+4.6%) and special picada (+3.6%). Meanwhile, the most relevant losses occurred in the square (-0.1%) and common bait (-0.3%).

For the Ipcva, the barbecue rose 3.5%. While these were other variations: wide steak, 1.3%; empty, 2.7%; roast beef, 2%; rump tail, 1.9%.

When evaluating the behavior between butcher shops and supermarkets, the survey revealed the following: “The price of beef in butcher shops exhibited increases of +0.6% during January 2023 and +40.4% compared to the same month in 2022. On the other hand, the average price of beef in supermarkets showed a increase of +4.7% compared to the previous month and an increase of +45.5% compared to January 2022″.

The Ipcva also delved into what happened with the values ​​according to the point of sale that the shops attend. “The prices of beef had an increase of 3.9% in the points of sale that serve neighborhoods with a high socioeconomic level. In those who sell in the middle socioeconomic level, prices increased by +1.1%; while in those who serve the low socioeconomic level, prices increased + 1.4% ”, he specified.

To highlight, last month other alternative meats rose more than the vaccine. “The price of fresh chicken showed increases of +4.4% in the month of January 2023 compared to December. Compared with the values ​​of January 2022, chicken increased its price by +97%. For its part, the price of pork breast showed increases of +3.6% in relation to the previous month. And with respect to the values ​​of January 2022 increases of +62.4% ”, he pointed.