Argentine: Meat consumption fell 13 percent in January, but exports to the US and Israel are growing
A brutal drop compared to last year and alarming figures on a historical level. Supply is falling, prices are rising, consumption is plummeting, but exports to the US and Israel are increasing.
The national government recently celebrated the trade agreement with the US with great fanfare. One of the most celebrated aspects was the expansion of the beef export quota to the United States. Meanwhile, within Argentine's borders, there is a persistent decline in beef consumption among Argentine families, and now also in the production of the country's flagship product.
The meat market exemplified this situation like no other at the beginning of 2026. The Argentine Chamber of the Meat and Meat Products Industry and Trade (CICCRA) reported catastrophic figures for meat production and consumption in January, with brutal drops in both, contrasting sharply with an already weak 2025. In the first month of the year, meat consumption in the country fell by 13% compared to the previous January, the worst in 20 years.
Per capita consumption was 47.9 kilos per year, 0.5% lower than in the same month of 2025, the lowest level in two decades of data collection, according to CICCRA. But the crisis is not only in consumption and is also affecting production. Between December and January, the volume of slaughter fell by 16.1%, and compared to January 2025, the decline was 11.8%. This placed January of this year in 36th place among the last 47 Januarys analyzed in terms of slaughter volume.
Of course, this drop in production impacts domestic prices. CICCRA itself acknowledged the average 70.8% increase in meat prices over the last 12 months, with peaks like the price of asado (ribs), which rose 74.2%. This represents an increase of more than 100% above the general inflation rate of 32.4% for the year. Based on this, the first weeks of February saw further significant price increases, making meat consumption increasingly unaffordable for Argentine families.
Meanwhile, although overall export figures also showed a year-on-year decline, some markets benefited significantly over the past 12 months. While sales to China, the world's largest buyer of Argentine beef, fell by 15.4% year-on-year, the growth in meat exports was driven by two key destinations: the US and Israel.
Exports to the North American country increased by 22.8% year-on-year, a figure that could rise even further once the trade agreement takes effect. Meanwhile, exports to the Middle Eastern country that Milei chose as his spiritual home saw a 136.9% increase in Argentine beef over the past year.
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