China is beginning to show greater buying momentum, although buyers remain cautious in the face of steadily rising prices. Intermediaries report new business and demand gradually adjusting to higher values, while firmer indications are already emerging from Brazil for shipments under the 2027 quota.

A European importer said asking prices for Argentine Hilton rump & loin have reached US$ 23,000 per ton FOB, although this remains a nominal value for the time being. Business from Argentina was reported last week at US$ 22,500-22,600 FOB. Uruguayan references range from US$ 21,500 to US$ 22,000 FOB.

Two vessels carrying Quota 481 and Hilton beef cuts from Argentina and Uruguay to the EU coincidentally encountered serious problems off the Brazilian coast, with General Average declared in both cases.

A source told World Beef Report (WBR) that, as of September 14, approximately 22,000 tons of the new 100,000-ton US quota available for duty-free entry this month had been used. The volume is part of the 300,000 tons announced by Donald Trump through November in an attempt to reduce US ground beef prices.

An intermediary consulted by WBR said current pressure on the US market reflects “abundant Australian supply more than Brazilian product.”

Chilean demand remains active, although differences persist between Paraguayan asking prices and the values buyers are prepared to accept. One exporter closed business for 20-cut sets at US$ 7,560 per ton CIP Santiago for shipment next week, while another source reported a reference of US$ 7,820 CIP Santiago.

A Uruguayan exporter reported lip meat sales to African markets at US$ 2,200 per ton FOB and tripe with cap to Europe at US$ 3,600 FOB.

Cattle slaughter in Mercosur fell again in August, with regional beef production continuing to contract as the four member countries move toward a herd rebuilding phase.

Average cattle prices across the region trended lower over the past week, pressured by the weakness of the Brazilian currency as well as lower references in Uruguay. The WBR Mercosur Steer Index fell by 2 cents over the week to US$ 4.82 per kilo carcass weight.

The average export price of Brazilian beef has stabilized over the past four weeks and is showing signs of a recovery, according to data released by the Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex).

Brazil’s cattle cycle “has undergone major changes” in recent years, meaning that “we do not expect a significant decline in production over the coming years,” said Roberto Perosa, president of the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (Abiec), during a conference organized by INAC at Expo Prado in Montevideo.

The decline in cattle slaughter is much steeper for females than for males, a typical development as Brazil moves into a herd rebuilding phase.

Cattle slaughter in Mato Grosso, Brazil’s state with the largest cattle herd, was virtually unchanged in August from the previous month, as an increase in males delivered to plants offset the decline in females.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani visited Brazil accompanied by a delegation of around 100 companies and called for a negotiated solution to the European sanitary ban in effect since September 3.

The EU plans to send auditors to verify compliance with its new sanitary requirements before considering a reopening, but no date has yet been set for the inspection.

US demand, concentrated on lean beef and trimmings for hamburgers, comes as China reduces its purchases and could help support boi gordo prices in the final quarter of the year.

A mission of Chinese sanitary authorities has been in Brazil since Sunday, September 13, to assess the country’s control system for animal products and inspect three meatpacking plants, Pecuaria reported.

Brazilian finished cattle prices maintained their upward trend for a second consecutive week. The average boi gordo price across the main cattle-producing states increased by R$ 1.5 to R$ 333.3 per arroba, based on state-level data from consultancy Scot, excluding the Funrural tax and with payment in 30 days.

Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Valeria Csukasi explained at a press conference why the Uruguayan government is in no hurry to define the allocation of the EU beef quota. She also reviewed other issues on the trade agenda, including the EU deforestation regulation and negotiations to join the Trans-Pacific trade agreement.

Copayan announced at Expo Prado that it has begun selling beef under the Selección Hereford brand in partnership with the Uruguayan Hereford Breeders Society.

Copayan director Fernando González and the president of the breeders society, Lucía Perdomo, unveiled the initiative at an event held at the Prado grounds.

Transactions in the market for grass-fed finished cattle remain very limited, with most producers choosing not to sell at the new prices proposed by meatpackers and demand sharply reduced by the temporary shutdown of several plants.

As expected following the suspension of operations at several plants, cattle slaughter declined.

Sheep slaughter remained close to the previous week’s level. In the week ended September 12, plants processed 8,287 sheep, 219 fewer than the previous week and 40% below the more than 13,000 head slaughtered in the same period of 2025. Lambs totaled 4,772 head, accounting for 58% of the total.

According to US Customs data, as of last Monday Argentina had used 16,996 tons of its traditional annual 20,000-ton tariff-rate quota, or almost 85%. This leaves approximately 3,000 tons available for the remaining three and a half months of the year.

Feedlots associated with the Argentine Feedlot Chamber were operating at 71.6% of their combined capacity as of September 1, almost 4 percentage points below the previous month but nearly 5 points above August 2025. This was the tenth consecutive month in which occupancy exceeded the year-earlier level.

Following the sharp decline recorded immediately after kosher slaughter ended ahead of the Jewish holidays, export steer prices recovered by around Ar$ 100 per kilo carcass weight, despite meatpackers maintaining that their margins remained tight even at the lower values.

Paraguayan beef production is forecast to increase by 3% in 2027 to 620,000 tons carcass weight equivalent (CWE), the second-highest volume on record, according to the USDA office in Buenos Aires.

High cattle prices and greater corn availability are accelerating the adoption of intensive feeding systems in Paraguay’s cattle industry, according to a report by the USDA office in Buenos Aires.

Turkey’s state-owned ESK has expressed interest in establishing commercial contacts with the recently approved Paraguayan plants, marking a concrete step toward Paraguay’s first beef exports to that market.

A regional trader attending Meat Summit Paraguay 2026, being held for the first time in Asunción, highlighted the transformation being pursued by the Paraguayan beef chain, with a strategy aimed at improving its market positioning and differentiating its product.

Despite weaker demand following the departure of kosher slaughter crews, the cattle market showed little change over the past week.

The industry is pushing to pay lower prices, but supply remains very limited, making it difficult to secure purchases at quoted levels.

According to US Customs data, just over 15,000 tons entered the country in the week through September 8 under the first 100,000-ton September tranche opened by the Trump administration as part of the 300,000-ton quota.

The USDA lowered its 2026 forecast for US red meat and poultry production in the September WASDE report, mainly due to lower beef and pork production. The beef import forecast was raised, although by a volume well below the additional 300,000-ton duty-free quota for the September-November period.

The Meta founder has spent the past two years developing a premium cattle project on the island of Kauai, using Wagyu and Angus genetics and a diet based on ingredients produced on the property.

Late-week cash cattle trade developed across all major regions, with prices showing some firmness. Most early Friday sales in the South were reported at US$/cwt 225, while northern live trade ranged from US$/cwt 223–225. Dressed sales were mainly at US$/cwt 350, with some transactions reaching US$/cwt 355. Late Friday, packers raised bids to US$/cwt 226 in the South and purchased additional cattle.

US imported beef prices were moderately to sharply lower compared with the previous market test, although on light volumes, according to the USDA weekly report.

The African swine fever outbreak in Spain, the bloc’s largest exporter, reduced EU shipments, although strong growth in Germany, Denmark, and Poland partly offset the decline.

Imported beef stocks in cold storage in China fell in August for the third consecutive month, although the downward trend remains moderate for now.

Wholesale beef and sheepmeat prices in China strengthened their upward trend in August. In the case of beef, the trend has prevailed since early 2025.

The Ministry of Agriculture detected serotype O at a slaughter facility, where 37 animals showed symptoms out of a total of 677 pigs.