Overview
- Retailers report beef up about 30% so far in 2026, including a roughly 5% rise over the past week.
- Butchers cite popular cuts at new highs, with asado around ARS 25,000, vacío near ARS 28,000 and lomo approaching ARS 30,000.
- Industry data show January beef rose 4.9% month over month as production fell about 10% year over year and consumption declined roughly 13% while exports stayed firm.
- A widening price gap is pushing households toward pork, with surveys indicating roughly 2.5–3 kilos of pork can be bought for the price of 1 kilo of beef.
- Official figures note record pork consumption, and industry groups warn that a U.S. quota expansion for high‑value beef cuts could further tighten local supply and lift prices.