Browse Data and Analysis

FAS/Seoul forecasts 2026 Korean cattle production and slaughter to drop to 925,000 head and 1,020,000 head respectively. Post forecasts lower Korean beef production will sustain 2026 beef imports, consistent with 2025 at 580,000 metric tons (MT).

The Canadian cattle herd is forecast to enter the consolidation phase in 2026. Heifer retention practices in 2025 and a slight increase to the breeding herd to begin 2026 will support a slightly larger calf crop.

FAS Manila forecasts pork production in 2026 at 980 thousand metric tons (TMT) carcass weight equivalent (CWE), a rebound from the estimated production in 2025.

Venezuela’s total per capita meat consumption in 2025 is projected to reach 45 kilograms, marking a 153 percent increase from its 2018 record low. FAS Caracas (Post) estimates Venezuela’s beef production for 2025 at 267,000 metric tons (MT), reflecting a 13 percent year-on-year decline.

Australian beef production is forecast to remain at a near record level in 2026, following an estimated record high in 2025. Adult cattle slaughter is similarly expected to ease slightly in 2026 after reaching record levels in 2025.

The cattle number will remain on its downward trend in 2025 and 2026. Post expects industrial cattle numbers to stabilize in 2026, while less efficient households will continue to contract their inventories, pulling down the aggregate cattle number.

Argentina is set to remain a powerhouse in global beef trade, with 2026 exports forecast at 830,000 tons carcass weight equivalent (CWE), the second highest on record. Robust international prices and a more competitive peso are breathing new life into packer margins.

Paraguayan beef exports in 2026 are forecast at 490,000 tons carcass weight equivalent (cwe), down six percent due to smaller slaughter and lower beef output. Chile is expected to remain the leading destination, though shipments are projected to decline, while demand from the United States, Taiwan, and Israel is anticipated to remain strong.

Uruguayan beef exports in 2026 are forecast at 520,000 tons carcass weight equivalent (CWE), the second-highest level on record. Rising output, including a growing share of grain-fed beef, underpins the increase as imports and domestic consumption remain steady.

Brazil is the second largest beef producing country and the largest beef exporting country in the world. Post expects decreased slaughter in 2026, due to the estimated start of the reversion of the cattle cycle in the second half of 2025.

Post forecasts stable pork production in 2026 and reduced pork imports due to abundant domestic supplies.

Japan’s beef industry faces challenges in 2026 as the domestic cattle herd declines, resulting in reduced slaughter and inventory. Rising beef prices, outpacing income growth, weaken consumer demand, making beef less accessible.