Despite government-imposed stocks, the price of meat has risen more than inflation: it has accumulated nearly 70% in one year

The National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) reported that inflation in May was 5.1%, while the year-over-year price increase reached 60.7%, and in this scenario there are products that are leading the race in even higher increments, such as beef.

According to the latest price report from the Institute for the Promotion of Beef (Ipcva), the prices of the different cuts of meat showed, on average, values ​​in increments of one 6.1% in May compared to April. The year-over-year increase compared to May 2021 is 68%.

Paradoxically, the phenomenon occurs at a time when consumption levels are at an all-time low. Last year it closed with an average consumption of 47.8 kilograms per inhabitant, the second lowest in the last hundred years. In 1920 alone, the national intake of the emblematic product was lower: 46.9 kilos a year.

Even so, with demand affected by the population’s loss of purchasing power, there is no one to stop the prices of meat. One explanation proven by industry specialists is that there is a shortage of supply, as many producers prefer to keep animals in the field, gaining cheap pounds for weed as a form of store of value. Another point to analyze is that even in the crisis there is a sector of society that continues to have purchasing power and is willing to guarantee any price when it comes to roasting.

According to the IPCV survey, the increases in May were more pronounced in higher quality meats. “Beef showed prices in 6.3% increases; beef showed moderate increases, 3.8%; while beef and veal prices showed low prices. a significant upward trend, which was 8.6% compared to April “, specifies the Institute.

As for the cuts, the main gains were frozen hamburgers, which increased by 16.9 percent, common mince (15.8%) and skirt (8%).

In turn, differences were also observed in increases depending on the point of sale. “Prices have shown significant increases of 6.6% over the previous month in butchers, while supermarkets have seen prices with more moderate increases of 4.7%,” indicates the report.