Projection and strategy for cattle exports from Uruguay
So far this year, the Turkish firm Gladenur has completed eight export transactions totaling approximately 90,000 head of cattle, with destinations including Turkey, Morocco, and Iraq. Two shipments are scheduled for next week: whole calves bound for Morocco and pregnant heifers bound for Turkey. The company projects that, if the pace and high prices continue, the 2025 closing price could approach 180,000 head. This volume would be similar to the firm's previous year, according to the company.
Gladenur management explained that, heading into the final stretch of the year, they will purchase pregnant heifers of beef breeds, whole calves of various weights, 200-kilogram calves, and Holstein heifers. In its commercial operations, the company used various payment alternatives, depending on both the stock exchanges and the preferences of producers. With the price of calves above US$3.00, officials maintain that Uruguay's competitiveness is maintained thanks to the genetic quality of the animals. This makes local calves more in demand than others with lower prices but inferior genetics.
Gladenur is considering expanding its market portfolio if the high price scenario continues, and mentioned Jordan and Tunisia as destinations under consideration to capture better prices. Regarding China, they noted that for now, there are no firm signs that allow for short- term business projections. International demand, they say, is showing upward stability and remains strong in most purchasing countries, with variations in the required weights depending on the market: in some cases, they ask for 250-kilogram animals, in others, 300 or even 350.
Regarding regional competition, the company notes that Brazil offers calves at lower prices, but differentiates them based on genetic quality, so they do not consider it to be a direct competitor on an equal footing. As for Argentina, following the relaxation of its own restriction on the export of live cattle, the country is once again adding supply to the market; however, Gladenur assesses that for now, Uruguay's logistics and experience give the Uruguayan exporter an operational advantage. The company anticipates that the observed stability could continue into 2026, and therefore advises producers to consider leaving whole calves in the harvest season if they are seeking export placement.
