To the list of the top 10 nations in the world in meat production, the Latin American region contributes three countries: Brazil, second only behind the USA, is followed by Argentina in sixth place and Mexico in eighth. This scale includes all the production of meat products from all subsectors of the category. Fast-growing nations with extremely large consumer markets — such as China and Russia — are looking at the quality-price ratio of Latin American meat products, therefore increasing demand and economic opportunities for Latin American processors.
In beef, a potential agreement with the European Union for the tax reduction of exports to Europe has been slow to gain acceptance. Strong opposition of countries such as Ireland and France, which would see their beef production threatened by the competitive prices coming especially from Brazil and Uruguay, has delayed closure of the agreement. Although it was expected that the recent congress of the G20 in Buenos Aires would lead to the conclusion of the treaty, the change of government in Brazil has prevented it from reaching a successful conclusion. The agreement proposes, in principle, the elimination of tax barriers for some 70,000 tons of meat from the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay).