The EU–Mercosur agreement will create one of the world’s largest free-trade zones, gradually removing tariffs on key commodities such as beef, poultry, pork, sugar, and ethanol traded between the EU and the Mercosur bloc. The quota has been closely watched by European beef producers, including farmers in Ireland who fear increased South American imports could intensify competition in the EU market. However, he said that growth in Argentina’s beef sector “will not necessarily come from increasing herd numbers but from improving production efficiency — particularly through heavier slaughter weights”. That’s not how the world sees it.”Pork industry inspiresArgentina's pork industry has already undergone rapid transformation over the past two decades, with consumption rising steadily and production becoming increasingly concentrated among technologically advanced farms. It has become a sector many beef producers now look to for inspiration.

Source: Irish Examiner March 21, 2026 06:01 UTC