During the panel The industry responds, featuring meat packing executives Marcelo Secco (Marfrig), Eduardo Urgal (Pando San Jacinto) and Alberto González (Las Piedras), optimism prevailed. Urgal summed it up by saying the sector is “in a good moment, with positive expectations,” and added that the invitation is to be “more ambitious” to capitalize on those favorable prospects for the meat industry.
González said, “Uruguay can grow 30–40 % within five years,” which would mean an additional 200,000 carcass weight tons. With that, “70 % of the problems that face production and industry would be solved.”
Speaking from the Rural del Prado fairgrounds, the panelists—moderated by journalist Martín Olaverry—analyzed the global uncertainty caused by the trade war, industry concentration, trade policy and market access, slaughter expectations and live cattle exports.
For Secco, Marfrig’s head in Uruguay, the biggest challenge for the meat sector is “to keep growing competitively.”
Although the beef market is buoyant, there are “storm clouds on the horizon due to uncertainty that undermines credibility and investment,” González said, ultimately hurting productivity.
Secco agreed about the negative impact of the trade war, which “breaks trade paradigms” and has a “global effect.”
Regarding cattle slaughter projections for this year, the executives broadly agreed it will be similar to 2024. González highlighted “the professionalization of the grain production system,” which has enabled “relentless growth” in output thanks to more grainfed steers finished in feedlots. He predicted the share of grainfed steers could rise from 25 % last year to 30 % this year.
On live cattle exports, Urgal said he is “frustrated” to see so many animals leaving the country but “would never ask for limits” on them. He warned that while Uruguay has been very active in opening markets for live exports, it has been very slow in authorizing live cattle imports.
On industry concentration, González said he is “concerned” that producers see it as negative “because it discourages investment.” He argued that competition within the sector is “fierce.”
Patricio Silveira, Minerva’s chief in Uruguay, was also invited to the sixth edition of The industry responds but could not attend owing to schedule conflicts related to a visit by executives from the Indian company Allana, which Minerva has proposed as the buyer of Establecimientos Colonia once the sale of Marfrig’s three plants to Minerva is completed.
