Meat production grew 4% year-on-year in the first half of the year to reach 1.5 million tons, while per capita consumption grew by one kilo and stood at 49.3 kilograms per person, reported the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.
According to officials from the agricultural portfolio, the increase in these indices was due to the increase in the average slaughter weight and the number of animals slaughtered.
In a press round offered by the Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Matías Lestani, together with the president of the National Service for Agrifood Health and Quality (Senasa), Diana Guillen, and the Undersecretary of Livestock, José María Romero, it was stressed that in the last two years the average slaughter weight added 7 kilos since 2020 and reached 231 kilos in this semester.
Likewise, the bovine slaughter of the first semester grew 2% compared to 2021, reaching 6,482,826 heads, while the slaughter of heavier steers had an increase of 63 thousand heads, “thus managing to reduce the slaughter of steers by 61,000 heads” .
On the beef export side, they could reach 295,000 tons of product weight in the first half, which means a 1% reduction in volume compared to the same period in 2021, but an increase of 7% if the first six months of 2020.
This improvement in the indices also meant an increase in consumption per inhabitant per year, adding 1 kilo during this period of time to position itself at 49.3 kilos per inhabitant.
This also contributed to an increase in the total consumption of meat (beef, pork and poultry) to 111 kilos, 2 kilos more than in 2021.
According to Lestani, these “are auspicious numbers” and “according to the objectives of the GanAr Plan, a trend in the increase in slaughter weight is consolidated, as well as a recovery in consumption, which positions us as the main consumer of meat per inhabitant.” .
For his part, Romero said that “within the central objectives of the plan there are two objectives, which is to increase the number of calves obtained per 100 mothers and to increase the slaughter weight, which in Argentina is very low.”
Romero raised the possibility that, based on an improvement in the average weight of slaughter and a greater entry of animals into the refrigerators, a production of 3 million tons of meat will be reached in 2022.
Likewise, he also highlighted an improvement in the number of heads housed in the feedlots.
“In the first semester there were 168,000 more heads locked up, so for the months of September and October there will be a higher level of meat supply,” he projected.
On the other hand, the official highlighted the Cortes Care program, which offers 6 million kilos per month in 1,800 outlets at prices below those of the market.
“It is not a minor volume, but it is quite important. It is 28% of what Argentines consume (of the cuts offered), so the consumption of several million Argentines is assured and at a differential price,” Romero said. .
