Imports of beef from Mercosur skyrocketed in the EU during the summer.

European imports of beef from Mercosur countries increased considerably in July, compensating for the drop in production in Europe, according to the latest bulletin from the French Institute of Livestock (Idele). The three main Latin American exporters (Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay) recorded a cumulative increase of 78% in their shipments compared to July 2024, according to Eurostat data cited by the institute. Specifically, Brazil tripled its exports in July (+232%, up to 11,800 tonnes of carcass equivalent). This trend continued, albeit to a lesser extent, in August (+45%, according to Brazilian customs). Argentina's shipments grew by 47% in July (up to 10,800 tonnes) and Uruguay's by 73% (up to 10,400 tonnes). The French technical institute notes that meat production fell by 3% in the first half of 2025 in the European Union, while "consumption remains stable in Germany and decreases slightly in the main consumer countries (Italy and France)." Hence the increase in imports to ...