Paraguayan beef exports to Israel reached their highest monthly volume in several years in June, totaling 5,659 tons. During the first half of the year, shipments reached 19,615 tons, up 24% year-on-year, making Israel Paraguay's third-largest export destination after Chile and the United States.
In June, Israel ranked as the second-largest destination, with imports not far behind the 6,617 tons shipped to Chile, traditionally the leading market for Paraguayan exporters.
Israeli import sources confirmed that demand from the country has increased markedly, particularly following the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, and the war that has continued in the region ever since. "Demand has increased, and stocks are being built up for the war," one source said. He added that "all packing plants" producing for Israel are currently operating double shifts, processing "around 700 cattle per day."
Another Israeli importer said that "the improvement in the quality of Paraguayan cattle" has allowed purchases of chilled beef to increase. He also described the prices currently being paid in Argentina as "excessive," which has also boosted purchases from Uruguay.
The increase in export volumes has been accompanied by a significant rise in average export values, a trend that is also being seen in other countries across the region. During the first half of the year, exports to Israel averaged US$ 7,959 per ton, up 26% from a year earlier.
