Tight supplies of beef are continuing to sustain high prices across the EU this year, the latest European Commission data shows.

While prices remain above the those witnessed in 2025, they have started to decline in recent weeks.

“A restrained demand due to the high prices, the evolution of the dairy market and punctual destocking may be having an influence on such decline,” the Commission said.

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“However, the short supply continues to sustain high prices and favourable margins for producers,” it added.

For week 16 of the year (13 to 19 April), the EU average price for carcases of adult male cattle stood at €7.02/kg, down 1.42% on the previous month, but up almost 9% year on year.

Production

EU beef production fell in January 2026, the latest data available shows, by 6.1% compared to the corresponding month in 2025.

Irish beef production was down 14.6% for the month, with similar declines also seen in Poland, Lativia, Slovakia and Finland. German beef production was down 4.8% and French beef production fell by just shy of 5%.

The only countries that saw increases in production were Greece (7.1%), Spain (1.9%) and the Netherlands (2.9%).

Exports

Full-year export figures for 2025 show that EU beef exports declined by 16.5% for the year compared with 2024.

“The shortage of animals and the decline in the production, together with a decreased competitiveness due to the high prices, is limiting EU’s capacity to export,” the Commission said.

The UK imported 38% of total EU beef exports last year, a figure that was down 8% year on year. Declines in exports to Turkey, Israel, Morocco and Canada were also recorded.

Imports

Beef imports were up 19.1% in 2025 across the main exporters, except from the US, with imports down 2.7%.

Imports from Brazil rose by 36.7%, Uruguay imports increased by 37% and New Zealand imports were up 30.6%.

The tight supply and the solid demand make global trade “very dynamic”, the Commission said.