Argentine remains the world’s second-largest exporter of horse meat, second only to Mongolia. The country maintained this position in 2025 and, during the first half of 2026, increased both the volume and value of its exports compared to the same period of the previous year. Between January and June 2026, the country exported 7,070 tons of horse meat , 10% more than in the same period of 2025, while the value of exports increased by 42%.
According to a report by the Equine Coordination Office of the Ministry of Agriculture , based on data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC), this positioning was accompanied this year by an improvement in Argentine exports. According to data from Trade Map , the global market has steadily declined over the last two decades.
Both organizations agree that global trade in horse meat fell from approximately 157,238 tons in 2006 to 93,689 tons in 2025 , a reduction of nearly 40%. The lowest level in the series was recorded in 2022, with around 73,900 tons traded. During the same period, Argentine also reduced its exports, which declined from 35,097 tons in 2006 to 11,542 tons in 2025 , although it managed to remain among the main suppliers in the international market.
Following this decline, Mongolia took over global leadership, exporting 34,021 tons last year, while Argentine ranked second with 11,542 tons. Belgium (8,643 tons), Poland (8,620), Uruguay (5,935), and Spain (5,726) followed. The official report indicates that, although Argentine exports mirrored the downward trend in the global market, “their performance remains relatively stable among the leading countries,” albeit with fluctuations in volume and unit value.
In the first half of 2026, exports grew 10% in volume and 42% in value.
It was revealed that in the last decade, between 2016 and 2025, Argentine exported an average of 15,613 tons of horse meat annually, with an FOB value of US$52.6 million . The highest volume during that period was reached in 2018, with 18,312 tons, while in 2025 exports totaled 12,903 tons, although the unit value rose to US$3,570 per ton, above the average for the period, which was US$3,373.
Data for the first half of 2026 shows an improvement compared to last year. Between January and June, 7,070 tons were exported , 10% more than the 6,418 tons shipped during the same period in 2025. This growth was driven by increases recorded in January (34%), March (22%), April (12%), and May (19%), while June saw a slight year-on-year decrease of 2%, with 1,161 tons exported.
The trend was even more pronounced in terms of revenue. Exports totaled US$29.6 million FOB in the first half of the year, compared to US$20.9 million in the same period of 2025, representing a 42% increase. In June alone, exports reached US$5.08 million, 28% higher than in the same month of the previous year. The average export value for the first half of 2026 was US$3,450 per ton .
Horse meat exports in tons worldwide
Belgium remained the main destination for Argentine horse meat. Between January and June, it accounted for 47% of the exported volume and 48% of the FOB value, with purchases totaling US$14.1 million. The Netherlands followed, with 16% of the volume and US$3.97 million, and Japan, with 4% of the volume and US$1.4 million. Together, these three markets represented approximately 67% of the exported tonnage and 66% of the value of foreign sales during the period.
