“We are the country of beef, and we are reducing eating chicken”. This is also a problem in Argentina, the country famous throughout the world for the quality and abundance of its meat production and for the tradition of Grill, the grilled beef that Argentines really don't intend to give up, being among the largest consumers in the world with a historical average of over 70 kg of red meat per person every year. It would be as if we Italians suddenly had to give up pasta, or pizza, or you choose what. This year however, due to the shock therapy of the new president Javier Milei which is turning the economy around with remarkable impact on the cost of living, this stainless certainty is also disappearing: according to data from the Bolsa de Comércio of Rosário, the best before date per capita of red meat will almost halve from 73 to 44,8 kg, the lowest figure for a century, practically falling to the levels of chicken, whose consumption in 2024 is estimated at 44,3 kg. An unacceptable downgrading for Argentine (and South American in general) gastronomic culture, chicken and pork being considered second-class choices.
Less meat consumed, inflation is to blame
This will determine, again according to the Bolsa de Comércio of Rosário, a decline in meat consumption in general, from almost 113 kg to 105,7 kg per person per year. The reason is easy to say: theinflation, which although in the deceleration phase still has almost 290% on an annual basis in May, it is mainly affecting i goods considered to be of primary necessity, like meat, milk, petrol, or even yerba mate, the infusion that represents another indispensable ritual for Argentines. This is making the beef a good practically of luxury, to the point that 1 kilogram of beef can cost up to 6.000 pesos, more than double that of a kilogram of chicken or pork, in a country where the minimum wage has recently been increased to 200.000 pesos, with around half the population (i.e. at least 20 million people) who live in poverty, and where all social benefits have been cut, from help with electricity and gas bills - which alone are worth almost 30.000 pesos a month - to free public transport for the less wealthy. Again according to the Bolsa de Comércio of Rosário, beef has become so expensive that it has fallen to 42% of total meat consumption, a figure that was unthinkable until a few years ago, suffering thechicken hooking and with pork rising to 16%. As a side note, to give an idea of the out-of-control prices, it is worth pointing out, for example, that a kilogram of chicken today costs less in Argentina than a cappuccino, for example.
The asado crisis affects the economy
La asado crisis it impacts not only the palates and correct nutrition of citizens, but also on the economy. Strong point ofArgentine export together with other agricultural commodities such as soya - and Buenos Aires needs to sell abroad like hell, to strengthen its dollar reserves -, beef recorded a 10% increase in exported volume from January to May compared to to the same period of 2023, however in terms of value revenues instead decreased by 1%, also because in the period considered production fell by 8% to 1,26 million tonnes. Historically, 85% of the beef produced was consumed internally: in 2023 the figure had already dropped to 75%, in the first months of this year we were even at 69%.
All the while continues at full speed Milei's liberal revolution, with the maxi "omnibus" reform just approved which provides for draconian cuts in public spending, (almost) wild privatizations and increasingly fewer protections for workers and the most vulnerable classes. At the moment this is bearing fruit on the macroeconomic and financial indices (even if Argentine GDP lost over 5% in the first half), but the dish - of meat - is crying.
