Argentina's pork exports jump 156.8% in value in early 2026
Argentina exported 7,645 tonnes of pork and byproducts worth US$10.037 million between January and May 2026, up 156.8% in value year-on-year. Industry figures say shifting global supply gives the Americas a chance to become the leading pork supplier.
Argentina's pork exports surge in value during early 2026
Between January and May 2026, Argentina exported 7,645 tonnes of pork meat and byproducts for a total value of US$10.037 million, according to the Secretariat of Agriculture of the national Ministry of Economy. The figures represent year-on-year growth of 91.2% in volume and 156.8% in value compared with the same period of 2025.
Domestic production rose 11.8% to 354,588 tonnes over the period, driven by a 9.7% increase in slaughter, which reached 3,720,893 head. Agustín Seijas, executive director of the Argentine Pork Federation (Federación Porcina Argentina), told Clarín that the country closed 2025 with roughly 13,000 tonnes exported.
Domestic demand and concentration
Per capita consumption climbed 8.4% versus 2025 to 19.59 kilos per person. Juan Luis Uccelli, a zootechnical engineer and pork market consultant, said domestic demand has risen from 3 to 4 kilos per inhabitant two decades ago to nearly 20 kilos today, supported by gains in genetics and productivity.
Production has expanded continuously since 2002, but the business is increasingly concentrated. Of Argentina's 1,700 producers, between 75 and 80 account for more than 50% of slaughter, according to Uccelli.
Export capacity below potential
Despite the jump, shipments remain far below Argentina's capacity. Uccelli noted that exports reached 14,000 to 15,000 tonnes last year and 44,000 tonnes in 2020. Argentina currently has 54 open markets, with shipments going mainly to the Philippines, China, Uruguay and Ivory Coast. He cited the exchange rate as the main obstacle, saying the dollar's value favors imports rather than exports.
A global opening for the Americas
Uccelli argued that global conditions are creating an opportunity for the Americas to become the world's leading pork supplier. He said China, the largest producer and consumer, is currently losing US$60 on each pig it produces because it lacks corn and soy and faces space constraints. In the European Union, African swine fever continues to advance and only Spain maintains significant activity.
The Americas currently account for roughly 52% of global pork exports, a share Uccelli expects to reach 75% across the continent, including the United States, Brazil, Canada and Argentina.
Seijas said one of Argentina's main export challenges is opening the Chinese market for byproducts, which would represent trade worth US$240 million. The negotiation has been under way for two and a half years and depends on a single signature to approve the sanitary protocol. Producers say a currency adjustment will be needed to fully seize the opportunity, though Uccelli said Argentina will rank among the world's top 10 pork exporters within a few years.
