Argentina could see a brief surge in beef sales to China while supplies from its two biggest rivals, Brazil and Australia, temporarily dry up, according to a report by the Rosario grains exchange cited by Reuters. China is the world's largest beef importer, and for the next few weeks Argentina and Uruguay face far less competition there than usual: Australia has exhausted its export quota and Brazil has sharply reduced shipments.

The effect is already visible in Argentina's cattle market. Prices for most slaughter cattle have been flat, but cows of the type typically used for export have become more valuable. Supply is tightening too: data from the animal health agency show the number of cows sent to slaughter fell 13 percent in January–August from a year earlier, to 1.6 million head, and shipments in the first two weeks of September were down a further 15 percent on the same period of 2025.

Prices paid by Chinese buyers are rising. The exchange put the export price of beef shank and forequarter cuts shipped to China at $7,700 per tonne, up from $7,200 a month ago and $5,400 a year earlier. It expects the opening to last no more than 60 days before Brazil and Australia regain ground. The Cattle Site, citing Reuters.

Photo: Beatrice Murch / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Source: The Cattle Site