Producers warn that barriers to the entry of meat will raise prices

Punta Mita, Nay., Beef prices increased 16 percent in the first month of 2026, a situation that may worsen in the second quarter of the year due to additional costs related to insecurity and the new barriers imposed by the Mexican government on the importation of beef and pork from countries without a treaty, the meat industry warned.

In the context of the Annual Convention of the Meat Industry 2026, Macarena Hernández, general director of the Mexican Meat Council (ComeCarne), highlighted that the change in the mechanism for importing, going from the elimination of tariffs via the Package against Inflation and High Costs (Pacic) to a scheme of quotas assigned by tender, introduces administrative delays and operational uncertainty that impact the planning of companies.

Francisco Jaraleño, president of ComeCarne, mentioned that this action generated adjustments in productive planning and the balance of the chain. “The approach is not to confront, our approach is to build,” he said upon being reelected as president of the organization for the period 2026-2027.

The Pacic was mainly used by the industry to import beef and pork from Brazil, which offers its products up to 20 percent cheaper than the United States, Mexico’s main supplier thanks to the zero tariff provided by the T-MEC. Mexican customs charge a 20 percent tariff on meat imports from any country without a trade agreement.

In replacement of Pacic, this year the government authorized quotas for 70 thousand tons of beef and 51 thousand tons of pork, with a maximum limit of 10 percent per company. These must present guarantees equivalent to 20 percent of the offered value and compete through price bids to obtain a certificate. The ruling is expected in mid-March.

However, for ComeCarne the volumes are insufficient compared to the demand of the Mexican population. Hernández maintained that, taking into account the current market conditions and the expansion of demand for meat in Mexico, the sector had proposed a quota of 153 thousand tons for beef and another of 111 thousand tons for pork.

Ernesto Salazar, director of Economic Studies at ComeCarne, highlighted that this factor, added to the rise in insurance prices, effects from the screwworm and the increase in insecurity, could lead to prices increasing even more towards the second quarter of the year.

He added that insecurity (reflected in highway robberies and extortion) has caused an increase in insurance premiums paid by companies and, according to official data, more than 98 percent of extortions in the country are not reported.