Spain: Spanish Cattle Production May Decline Driven by Reduction of Exports and Drought

Spanish cattle production may continue to decrease in 2023 due to high production costs, expected reduction of Spanish live cattle exports to non-EU markets, and the severe drought experienced in Spain since fall 2022 that has impacted cattle feed. In the last years, Spanish cattle exports were the major driver to cattle production. However, new geopolitical situations, strong cattle price competition, and an upcoming EU regulation on live cattle transport may continue to impact Spanish cattle shipments outside the EU. Despite the decrease in domestic beef consumption in Spanish households, beef consumption may continue to trend upward in 2023 due to recovering HRI and tourism, resulting in a continued increase in Spanish beef imports.