Colombian meat prices rise nearly 100 percent over six years

The average price of fattened cattle per kilo reached 9,348 pesos in April 2026, nearly double the 4,698 pesos recorded in April 2020.

According to updated data from Fedegán, the price of cattle rose 8.4 percent from April 2025, when it stood at 8,622 pesos. The six-year cumulative increase reflects the impact of several factors.

During and after the pandemic, costs of key inputs such as concentrates, fertilizers, veterinary medicines and transport increased. These became more expensive due to the global logistics crisis and the war between Russia and Ukraine that began in 2021.

Between 2021 and 2023 Colombia faced one of its highest inflation periods in decades, raising labor, energy and logistics costs throughout the meat chain. The recent minimum wage increase also influenced final prices.

The national government expects that a possible suspension of exports will reduce the meat price by 10 points. The cattle sector warns that the measure would put a nearly 350-million-dollar market at risk.

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A realistic image of a Colombian market illustrating rising food and housing costs due to inflation.
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May inflation stood at 5.84% and pushed up cost of living in Colombia

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DANE reported that annual inflation in May reached 5.84%, driven by housing and food, placing the country with the third-highest cost of living in the region.

The average price per kilo of beef reached $31,819 in the last week of April, up 5.4% since January, according to Dane data. This rise occurs amid a debate on exports and price controls pushed by the Government. Year-over-year, the increase is 15.6%.

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Andrés Contamagna, a cattle consultant, stated that recent beef price hikes are due to seasonal factors and will not persist. He forecasts price stability in April due to falling live cattle values. Consumption is shifting toward chicken and pork amid a structurally reduced beef supply.

Global food prices have risen mildly in recent months due to geopolitical and weather concerns, yet ample supplies are keeping the situation stable for now.

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Anif warned that the arrival of the El Niño phenomenon in the second half of the year could push inflation in Colombia close to 7%. The think tank pointed to pressures on food and energy as main factors.

The European Union removed Brazil from its list of countries compliant with sanitary rules on antibiotic use in livestock. The measure, effective from September, could cost the country nearly US$ 2 billion in annual meat sales.

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