Uruguay looks to scale up beef production to fulfill major new export quota in China
“Uruguayan beef continues to conquer China, and there is still massive room for growth,” stated Gastón Scayola, President of the National Meat Institute (INAC). Scayola is scheduled to meet with officials from China’s Ministry of Commerce to finalize logistics regarding the substantial 324,000-ton beef export quota recently granted to Uruguay. “To fully capitalize on this quota, increasing our domestic production capacity is paramount,” he noted.
Strategic push at SIAL Shanghai 2026
In an interview with Presidential Communication, Scayola announced that INAC will maintain its long-standing presence at the upcoming SIAL Shanghai 2026 trade fair, held from May 18 to 20. Uruguay has participated in the massive food expo for the past 20 years, a commitment that Scayola notes allows the country to "compete on equal or even better terms than major exporters like Australia."
To further strengthen market penetration, INAC has signed promotional agreements with premium Chinese hotel and restaurant chains. Additionally, leading Chinese chefs have been invited to study the Uruguayan pasture-based production system firsthand, leveraging their influence as key opinion leaders within the Asian nation's culinary community.
Outperforming competitors in quota allocation
During his upcoming meetings with China's Ministry of Commerce, the INAC chief will oversee the operational management of the 324,000-ton quota.
“China’s safeguarding of trade regulations was a thorough, transparent, and professional process. In this latest allocation, Uruguay received a very significant quota—better than initially expected - unlike the outcomes for Australia and Brazil. Now, we face the challenge of reciprocity and strictly fulfilling our export volumes,” emphasized Scayola, reiterating that the industry's immediate duty is to boost slaughter and processing volumes.
According to INAC data, Uruguay exported a total of 350,000 tons of beef to various markets between 2021 and 2023. From 2024 to the present date in 2026, the South American country has already successfully marketed 220,000 tons of meat products globally, with China remaining its core strategic destination.
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