EU beef prices surge as cattle numbers decline and feed costs threaten stability
EU beef prices have risen about 10% while the region’s cattle herd is shrinking, and higher feed costs loom as a new risk.
Beef prices across the European Union have climbed close to 10% over the last year, with the August CPI reporting a 9.4% increase following an 18% peak in November 2025. Javier López, director of the industry group Provacuno, warns that the sector is losing breeding cows, a trend he links to heavy regulatory pressure and insufficient incentives that have driven many farmers out and discouraged new entrants. Because restoring herd size requires about three years per animal, any reduction in cattle numbers creates long-lasting supply shortfalls.
While price growth appears to be stabilising for now, the industry faces a looming threat from rising feed-grain costs, which could quickly erode margins. López recalls that a feed-price crisis in 2008-2009 caused production to fall more than 15% within a year, highlighting the sector’s vulnerability. He notes that the EU’s new livestock strategy acknowledges the problem, but immediate measures are needed to avoid further supply constraints.
Why it matters
Higher beef prices and a shrinking cattle supply could strain European consumers and farmers alike.
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