According to a report by El Diario de El Salvador on November 11, the Competition Authority launched a study on the beef market in August of last year. Partial findings released by the authority on October 10 indicate that the proportion of imported beef on Salvadoran tables has surpassed that of domestic beef.
The Competition Authority noted that a significant characteristic of the national market is the high share of foreign products, with up to 60% of the beef consumed coming from imports. This situation underscores the need for a competitive analysis, while also considering multiple factors such as local production, import supply, and distribution channels.
Data from the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador (BCR) shows that last year, beef imports into El Salvador exceeded $238 million, a year-on-year increase of 10%.
Nicaragua is El Salvador's largest beef supplier, with El Salvador importing over $182 million worth of beef from Nicaragua last year, a 6.04% increase year-on-year, accounting for 76.5% of total beef imports; other sources of imports include Costa Rica (13.2%), the United States (3.7%), and Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia, among others.
It is worth noting that, in addition to beef, the Salvadoran market is also dependent on imports for fruits and vegetables, most of which come from Central American countries.
The report also points out that suppliers in the Salvadoran market are becoming more diversified, but retail distribution through supermarkets shows a "highly concentrated" characteristic. The retail market is dominated by two major supermarket chains, Super Selectos and Walmart, in addition to some smaller local supermarkets and municipal markets.