Exports to the EU at highest since  2019

In the 12 months to April 2025, Uruguay shipped 40,876 t of fresh beef to the European Union, the largest volume since the 12 month period to April 2019, six years ago.

The tighter supply of this protein in the European market is reflected not only in historically high slaughter cattle prices but also in significant increases in imported beef volumes. In Uruguay’s case, shipments of chilled beef in the first four months of 2025 were up 18 percent year on year, while frozen beef shipments rose 44 percent. The average price of chilled beef increased by 11 percent and that of frozen by 5 percent.

Despite the gradual reduction in the share of the 481 grainfed quota available to Uruguay, chilled beef shipments have been on a consistent upward trend since mid 2023. In the 12 months to July 2023 Uruguay shipped 10,071 t of chilled beef and fewer than 30,000 t of frozen beef; in the 12 months to April, it recorded sales of 16,069 t of chilled and 40,876 t of frozen, rises of 60 percent and 36 percent respectively.