Meat prices have remained stable in recent months, but consumption remains historically low.
In the last four months, beef prices remained stable, with increases that barely reached or were below inflation general. While other foods became more expensive, the value of meat did not register significant changes on the counters, as explained by the Argentine Meat Exporter Consortium.
The organization clarified that this stability does not reflect improvements in production or in the structure of the sector, but rather a drop in consumer demand. The decline in consumption limits the possibility of price increases, keeping meat within very moderate margins compared to other food products.
butchery meat
Reuters
In dialogue with Radio Rivadavia, the president of the Consortium, Mario Ravettinodetailed: “If we take the CPI in June it was 1.6 and meat 1.6; in July 1.9 and meat 1; in August 1.9 and meat 0.3; and last month practically the same: 2.1 and 2. “It’s very stable.”
And he added: “I believe that stability is due to the fact that the economic situation of the people “It means that we do not have the consumption levels we had before.”
Historically low meat consumption
Ravettino recalled that the annual consumption of beef is around 48 to 50 kilos per personcompared to the average 70 kilos two decades ago. “That number is not going to return. Today we have a very diversified animal protein diet: 50 kilos of beef, 40 of poultry and 20 of pork,” he explained.
Supermarket Meat Consumption Prices Inflation
Mariano Fuchila
The leader also clarified that meat maintains a constant supply, unlike seasonal products. “I have been working in this for 40 years and I can speak from what I know. Fruits and vegetables have occasional increases, but “Meat has a different dynamic.”held.
Productive competition and pending policies
Regarding the competition between livestock and agriculture, Ravettino pointed out: “Producing a chicken takes 60 days, a pig 120, and a steer takes two years. This explains a lot of the difficulties of the livestock chain.. “The producer compares and often decides to plant soybeans because he obtains more profitability with less risk.”
Finally, he regretted the low consumption of fish in the country and raised the need to “a more comprehensive agri-food policy, which promotes the balance between production, consumption and export.”
Source: Ambito
