The United States authorized the extraordinary import of 300,000 tonnes of lean beef to curb domestic meat prices, but the decision will not benefit Argentina despite the close relationship between Presidents Donald Trump and Javier Milei.
The reason is that Argentina, as well as other U.S. allies, has fixed import quotas. Instead — and perhaps ironically — the country that could stand to benefit the most from the decision is Brazil, whose leader, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is at odds with the Republican president.
On Thursday, Trump formalized the measure previously announced via social media by signing a proclamation allowing the temporary and extraordinary import of beef without tariffs, outside the usual quotas and channels.
Other countries excluded from its benefits, in addition to Argentina, are Uruguay, Australia, and New Zealand, as they already operate under previously assigned volumes.
The decision opens a key opportunity for Brazil, which until now had no preferential tariff treatment in the U.S.
