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Overview of Uruguay's swine industry in 2024

Despite being such a small country geographically, Uruguay has one of the highest per capita pork consumptions in Latin America, with imports making up 80% of its consumption.

Inventory

According to preliminary data from DICOSE affidavits, as of June 2024, there were 108,083 head of swine in Uruguay, distributed among approximately 2,925 swine producers.
The departments of Canelones (33%) and San José (27%) account for 60% of the country's pigs.
Of the total inventory, 20.1% correspond to breeding sows (21,723) and 2.3% to boars (2,504), while the remaining 77.6% represent piglets and pigs.

Slaughter and production

A total of 138,691 head of pigs were slaughtered in 2024, an increase of 1.9% compared to 2023 (136,149 head).
The establishments where the slaughter was carried out in 2024 were Noesma S.A. (50%), Tribicar (42%), Arroyal S.A. (5%), and Matadero los Olivos (3%).
Estimated pork production for 2024 is 9916 tons (t), assuming an average carcass weight of 71.5 kg, which would represent a growth of 2.1% over the previous year (9708 t).

Graph 2. Evolution of pig slaughter in Uruguay in the last 5 years, annual variations. Prepared by 333 Latin America with data from the OPYPA 2024 Yearbook and INAC.

International trade

At the end of 2024, pork imports totaled 47,171 t, 3.8% lower than the 49,011 t recorded in 2023.
With a share of 96.1% (45,350 t), Brazil was the main supplier of imported pork in 2024. Paraguay and Argentina occupied the second and third positions with 950 and 531 t, respectively.
The products imported in 2024 corresponded to other frozen meat (96.3%) and other fresh refrigerated meat (3.7%).
Pork exports in Uruguay are not very significant. In 2024, only 29 t were recorded, representing an increase of 38.1% compared to the 21 t recorded in 2023.

Graph 3. Evolution of pork imports in Uruguay in the last 5 years, annual variations. Prepared by 333 Latin America with data from the OPYPA 2024 Yearbook and INAC.

Consumption

Apparent consumption in 2024 is estimated at 57,058 t, a drop of 2.8% compared to 2023, partly explained by the decrease in imports.
In the last year, imports accounted for 83% of apparent pork consumption, while the remaining 17% corresponded to domestic production.
In the last 10 years, per capita pork consumption in Uruguay has increased, rising from 16 kg/inhabitant in 2015 to almost 23 kg/inhabitant in 2024.

Graph 4. Evolution of per capita pork consumption in Uruguay in the last 10 years - 2015 - 2023. Source: INAC, 2024 estimate by 333 Latin America, with data from INAC.

333 Latin America/ Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries of Uruguay and the National Meat Institute INAC/ Uruguay.
https://www.gub.uy/ministerio-ganaderia-agricultura-pesca/anuario-opypa-2024
https://www.inac.uy/