Argentina's Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, admitted last month that the government 'expected' the 2.9% inflation figure for February because 'the rise in meat prices and tariffs also had an impact.' This month, butchers repeated the bad news: in March, prices also rose by 10.6%, driven by increases in ground meat, flank steak, rump, and skirt steak. The Argentine Data Center provided the information on its X account, emphasizing that it accumulates to 68.6% over 12 months, doubling the inflation rate, which was 33.1%, as checked by the Argentine News Agency. The March CPI points again to the 3% zone, without showing the deceleration desired by the national government. Thus, the first quarter closes with a cost of living increase close to 9%, when the national budget marks that for the whole year it should have been 10%. Private reports are consistent in a rise in prices starting with what happened with food, fuels, and tariffs. Precisely, meat once again put pressure on the cost of basic food. Education (around 5.5%) also pulled away, while prepaid cards rose by about 3.2%, and the bus fare with SUBE was set above $998 for short distances, in addition to pickup trucks showing high list prices. The Cuts In annual terms, the increase in the different cuts reached 68.6 percent, according to a report from the Argentine Institute for the Promotion of Beef. The largest increases of the month were observed in popular cuts, those with the highest consumption among middle and low-income households. Common ground meat led the ranking with an increase of 20.4 percent, followed by common beef with 17.7 and flank with 13.4. At the other extreme, the smallest adjustments were registered in the loin, with 8.5 percent, the brisket with 7.6, and the brisket tip and special ground meat with 9.3. Sales Channels The survey also showed a strong dispersion among sales channels. While in butcher shops prices jumped 12.2 percent in March and 73.5 annually, in supermarkets the increase was 7.1 monthly and 57.9 compared to the same month last year. The difference consolidated large chains as the channel with relatively lower prices for most cuts. Among meat substitutes, fresh chicken rose 10.9 percent in March compared to February and accumulates an annual increase of 49.1, while pork loin advanced 6.3 in the month and 28.1 against March 2025. Both products continue to be cheaper in supermarkets than in traditional stores. In the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA), the price of a half carcass increased on average by 13.3% monthly and 71.71% annually. Similarly, in Córdoba the advance was 14.1% monthly and 68.8% against March of last year. In the region where a smaller increase was recorded was Rosario, with an advance of 11.6% monthly and 62.9% annually.
