BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — At 6 a.m., within the Mataderos neighborhood of Buenos Aires, staff unload sides of beef from a truck exterior a butcher store as prospects line up for wholesale purchases. Inside, 73-year-old proprietor Jorge García and his workers put together meat orders earlier than daybreak.
Among the many stacks of beef packing containers and crimson meat cuts hanging from steel hooks, rooster and pork are more and more current.
Crimson meat consumption in Argentina — traditionally one of many world’s largest customers of beef — has fallen to its lowest stage in 20 years amid financial austerity measures imposed by libertarian President Javier Milei.
As of April 2026, annual per capita beef consumption fell to 44.5 kilograms (98 kilos), down from 49.5 kilograms (109 kilos) throughout the identical month a yr earlier, in response to the Agricultural Basis for Argentina’s Improvement. In 2006, it was 63.4 kilos (139 kilos) per particular person.
“Individuals are switching to cheaper proteins. They’re consuming pork, they’re consuming rooster,” mentioned García.
Analysts attribute the decline to hovering beef costs, decrease cattle provide and weakened family buying energy. The opening of Argentina’s beef market to worldwide commerce has additionally pushed home costs nearer to international ranges.
“Beef moved into a very completely different purchasing-power class. Employees’ wages fell far behind,” mentioned Juampi Quintero, 25, a meat distributor who estimated consumption amongst his shoppers has fallen by greater than half.
Since coming into workplace in December 2023 with an annual inflation at 211%, Milei promised to eradicate what he known as “the most cancers of inflation” via an adjustment plan that included cuts equal to almost one-third of public spending, symbolized by the picture of a series noticed.
The federal government succeeded in reversing the fiscal deficit and attaining a price range surplus — a uncommon lead to Argentina’s current historical past — however the social value of the austerity measures has drawn criticism.
Inside months, Milei’s administration eradicated 13 ministries, laid off about 30,000 public workers, halted public works tasks and diminished funding for key areas similar to schooling, healthcare and science, whereas additionally reducing subsidies for primary companies similar to electrical energy, fuel, water and transportation.
“That impacts family revenue as a result of households now should pay extra for companies that have been beforehand sponsored by the state,” mentioned economist Camilo Tiscornia. “Consequently, they’ve much less disposable revenue and should hand over sure costlier items, similar to beef.”
On the identical time, family incomes didn’t rise on the identical tempo as beef costs, serving to drive down consumption.
Wages for registered staff elevated a median of 1.8% in February, the most recent accessible information, in contrast with month-to-month inflation of two.9%.
“Earlier than, I had the liberty to purchase what I needed,” mentioned Alberto Brajin, a 61-year-old retiree who runs a streetside barbecue stall in Buenos Aires.
Brajin mentioned he now has to “commerce down” to cheaper proteins similar to rooster.
Beef costs rose greater than 60% over the previous yr, reaching a median of 18,500 pesos ($13) per kilogram in Buenos Aires in Could, in response to the Argentine Beef Promotion Institute.
In July 2025, Milei’s authorities diminished export taxes on beef and poultry and eliminated manufacturing quotas to encourage abroad gross sales, reversing a part of the restrictions imposed underneath former President Alberto Fernández to curb rising home costs. The easing of export laws got here simply as Argentina’s beef manufacturing dropped by greater than 10 % as a result of floods and droughts, in response to CICCRA, the nonprofit group that represents Argentina’s beef producers.
Argentina’s authorities mentioned this week that beef exports rose 54% within the first quarter in contrast with a yr earlier, totaling almost 200,000 tons value greater than $1 billion. The rise adopted a U.S. resolution earlier this yr to increase Argentina’s tariff-free beef quota amid American cattle shortages.
With the market opening up, producers started promoting beef — as soon as reasonably priced throughout a lot of Argentina’s social spectrum — at costs nearer to worldwide ranges.
“Beforehand, all meats had comparable costs, which inspired excessive beef consumption that didn’t replicate its actual manufacturing prices,” agricultural marketing consultant Iván Ordóñez defined.
As beef turns into more and more costly for a lot of Argentine households, rooster and pork are gaining floor as cheaper alternate options.
“We’ve chosen to purchase pork and rooster as a result of beef is simply too costly,” mentioned store proprietor Ruth Simon.
Hen prices a median of 4,900 pesos ($3.50) per kilogram, whereas pork ribs value round 8,900 pesos ($6.30).
García, the butcher store proprietor, mentioned he started promoting rooster and pork lower than a yr in the past after noticing modifications in prospects’ consuming habits.
“It’s important to adapt,” he mentioned. “We are able to’t simply sit round crying. No crying. We’ve to work. We’ve to maintain our dignity. We’ve to battle.”
___
Comply with AP’s protection of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
