Brazil meat exports to Argentina fall 19% amid domestic beef price shifts

Brazil's meat exports to Argentina dropped 19.4% in the first half of 2026, with sales falling to US$7.4 billion from US$9.1 billion a year earlier. The Argentine market’s share of Brazil’s total meat exports slipped from 5.5% to 4%, though Argentina remains Brazil’s third‑largest destination after China and the United States, according to the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC).

At the same time, Brazil’s internal beef market showed divergent trends. Wholesale prices for bone‑in beef rose, with the price of a capão carcass up 3.3% to R$23.15 kg and a whole bull up 3.9% to R$22.75 kg. Retail prices, however, fell in most monitored cities, reflecting weaker consumer purchasing power and an excess supply from the previous week’s higher demand. Specific cuts such as lombinho saw a 1.7% retail increase in São Paulo, while alcatra with maminha fell 5.2% in Paraná.