The increase in demand for beef in China caused an upward trend that has been going on for a long time. The decreasing supply of pork in the PRC (ASF effect) forced the citizens of this country to look for substitutes. The current import from Australia has been completely suspended (politics affects what we have on the plates), therefore an increasing volume from South America was observed.
This increase is so large and so rapid that it has translated into a sharp rise in prices in Argentina and a decrease in consumption of this meat, despite the fact that beef is an integral part of the local culture. The Argentine government decided to suspend exports, which caused discontent among farmers, who in retaliation stopped selling livestock to slaughterhouses. As was to be expected, prices rose even more.
Increased demand in China and the problems associated with the pandemic (supply and slaughter interruptions) in Brazil, combined with the increase in feed prices, are making beef, a noble meat, more expensive. Americans love steaks, but fewer and fewer are willing to work in slaughterhouses and packing plants. This paradox also influences the price of this meat.
Prices are also rising in Poland, which is the sixth largest producer of beef in the EU. However, the average prices in Poland are lower than the EU average, and the method of breeding and the high level of slaughter hygiene make meat from Poland valued and sought after by contractors.
