MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina lifts restrictions on exporting live cattle

Argentina's extraordinary number of self-imposed restrictions has been omitted from the debate for decades, Sturzenegger explained

Argentine President Javier Milei's Decree 133/25 ending a 50-year ban on exporting live cattle was published Wednesday in the Official Gazette. The measure had been adopted in 1973 due to supply issues. The Libertarian Government's initiative thus opens new market opportunities for the livestock sector.

The global market for live cattle is significant, with countries like Australia, France, and Canada each exporting over $1 billion worth of live cattle annually. In the region, Uruguay exports 250,000 heads per year, and Brazil 750,000. (See also: Export of live animals do not violate Brazilian law, federal court rules)

Exporting live cattle is crucial for markets with specific slaughter methods, such as Turkey, which does not slaughter castrated animals. The decree aims to increase trade opportunities for Argentina, addressing restrictions that have limited export possibilities.

”Live cattle are also important because they are a product sought by societies that have particular slaughter methods (Turkey, for example, does not slaughter castrated animals). Excluding us from these markets for free is nonsense,“ Deregulation Minister Federico Sturzenegger explained on X.

”In recent weeks, the topic of the exchange rate has been discussed, but it seems that the extraordinary number of restrictions that we have imposed on our trade has been omitted from the debate,“ he added.

”In recent days, we have discussed the cases of hides, coal, and scrap metal, all with prohibitions or limited export points that curtail export possibilities. Unbelievable,” he also pointed out.