Beef production in Paraguay forecast to decline in 2025

Beef production in Paraguay in 2025 is forecast to drop at 560,000 tons carcass weight equivalent (cwe) as result of a decline in slaughter assuming a more normal weather pattern in 2025 following three straight years of drought, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report. A very dry 2024 forced many producers to sell more cattle than planned to have a lighter stocking rate as the production of pastures was very limited. If rains return to normal patterns the slaughter will total 2.3 million head, almost 150,000 head less than that estimated for 2024. The average carcass weight in 2025 is forecast up at 244 kilos, 3 kilos heavier than in 2024, because a smaller number of cows in slaughter and a larger number of cattle finished on grains. The local cattle business is going through a difficult situation due to a combination of 3-4 years of dry and hot weather, low cattle prices and increasing costs. Producers claim ...