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Argentina’s Beef Prices Lag Inflation as Household Demand Slumps

Industry leaders attribute the restraint to eroded purchasing power.

Overview

  • Recent monthly data cited by exporter chief Mario Ravettino show beef price increases at or below headline inflation, including 2.0% versus 2.1% in the latest month.
  • Per‑capita beef consumption sits near 48–50 kilos a year, down from roughly 70 kilos two decades ago, reflecting a long slide in demand.
  • Ravettino said sales only spike on special occasions such as Mother’s Day, which he described as temporary surges rather than a lasting recovery.
  • Producers are reallocating toward faster, more profitable cycles, with poultry taking about 60 days, pork 120 days, and cattle roughly two years, encouraging some to plant soy.
  • The industry is urging a more integrated agro‑food policy to balance production, consumption, and exports, noting persistently low fish consumption despite a long coastline.