In August, male carcass prices had been falling in spring, due to seasonal decrease in consumption, worsened by petrol and beef price increase. In August, carcass prices stabilized (+1% in a month) slightly under 2025 records (-8%) as heat waves, hindering beef consumption, ended. Brazilian beef is banned from EU imports since Sept. 3rd, as Brazil could not prove compliance to EU regulation decreasing antibiotic resistance (traceability of antibiotic use during cattle’s entire life).

In August, steer prices drew back by 6% in a month and were 7% under last year’s high level. The slaughter pace is low, due to the historically small herd numbers and little cattle imported from Mexico since one year (reopening, through Arizona on July 24th). An extra 80.000 tons lean trimming yearly quota was given to Argentina in 2026, with a new quarterly batch opened on July the 1st, boosting this beef on the US market, putting pressure on local cattle prices. Total US beef imports up to July had increased by 13% (+28% from Mexico, +16% from Australia). The US government issued an extra 300.000 tons trimming quota (with in-quota tarrif rates rather than 26.4% tarrif), from September to November.

In August, brazilian beef prices increased by 3% in a month, at the end of the seasonal decrease in domestic demand and were 19% above 2025 (US$). Brazilian beef exports drew back by 25% y-o-y in August, as exports to mainland China shrank by 90%, Brazil arriving to the end of its yearly quota of exports to China before 55% extra-tariff. Therefore, August exports soared to the USA ( x3.8, 46.000 tons cwe), increased towards MENA, Russia, South America and the EU (x 2.1, 29.000 tons cwe). In total, brazilian exports up to August were still up by 7% (2.58 million tons cwe).

In 2026, chinese beef prices are regularly improving: +3% in a month in August, now 13% above 2025 level. Beef consumption increases in September (Mid-Autumn festival) and imports from Brazil dropped in August as they approached the maximum in-quota volume, helping local prices increase. Farmers are again profitable since 10 months, with a mean return of about 240 US$/head (Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences).