Beef consumption is at rock bottom and the price could jump at the end of the year Ecos365.com.ar | Information about business, economy, agriculture, management and entrepreneurship of the city of Rosario and region

According to production and export data confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, in September beef consumption in Argentina (calculated as an average of the last 12 months) stood at 47.28 kilos per personwhich indicates a decrease of 11.4% in the annual average compared to 2023, and is equivalent to approximately 6 kilos less beef consumed per inhabitant per year.

When analyzing the historical series, it is seen that these levels of consumption are among the lowest in the last 25 years.

From FIFRA, they indicated that the slaughter of cattle in September amounted to 1.2 million heads and the production of 275,000 tons, of which 82,000 were shipped. According to the entity, Domestic consumption was then at nearly 50 kilos per inhabitant per year..

It should be noted in this sense that the total consumption of meat in Argentina is very high, which means the people are well supplied. If what the beef sector contributes to what is created by chickens and pork, meat consumption will be around 115 kilos per inhabitant per year.

In any case, the concern of industrialists and the sector is the delay in meat prices, which have increased by almost 35% so far this year with inflation of around 100%.

“I think that it will only be towards the end of the year, when the current high supply diminishes, and when consumption begins to have a little more purchasing power, that we will have some price restraint that would not higher than 15 – 20%.“, expected the president of FIFRA, Daniel Urcia. And he concluded: “we have to wait until March for another development in stock and beef prices.”

In terms of exports, the high number must be related to the need for companies to generate more business and therefore produce more quantities to reduce the increases in wages and energy costs. We hope that there will be a recovery in international prices in the world market that will bring profit to companies and that they will be able to maintain the planned and necessary investments.