The inflation rate that in February reached 6.6% reported by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC), put meat in the spotlight, since it became one of the products that suffered the greatest increase within the food category. He meat price suffered increases of more than 30% at the counter and had an impact on the “food and non-alcoholic beverages” category of 9.8%.
As predicted from the livestock sector, the meat price It could have a new leap if the forecasts for the end of the drought are met, the rains return and the grass returns to the fields in May. The rise in bovine cuts was a consequence of “a strong delay that the ranch had in the face of general inflation” and the ranchers parted with the animals due to “the shortage of grass caused by the drought.”
According to the INDEC measurement, The products that suffered the greatest increases in February were oranges, with 72.4%, and beef cuts: common ground beef that increased 35%, rump 34.3%, shoulder with a rise of 33.5%, rump 32.8%, and the roast that had a variation of 28.6%. For the head of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Meats (CICCRA), Miguel Schiariti, “in May there could be a strong increase in the meat price”, if the producers retain the farm due to the normalization of rainfall.
The head of CICCRA trusts that for “30 or 40 days prices can remain stable”, but there may be increases within 45 to 60 days. In addition, he maintained that in the Agro Livestock Market (MAG) of Cañuelas “the prices are very stabilized”, for which the prices in butcher shops should not change “at least for now”, he assured.
The livestock expert remarked that the strongest impact of the drought occurred “at the time of service, so the pregnancy rates will show much lower percentages than usual” and estimated that during this year, “there will be between 800,000 and a million fewer calves.”
