Argentina secures Indonesian market access for beef, offal exports

ARGENTINA – Argentina has secured approval to export beef and edible offal to Indonesia after the two countries finalised a sanitary agreement that opens one of Asia’s largest meat import markets to Argentine suppliers.

The agreement was signed between Argentina’s National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service (SENASA) and Indonesia’s Directorate General of Animal and Livestock Health Services (DGLAHS), establishing the health and certification requirements needed for Argentine beef, offal and dairy products to enter the Indonesian market.

The market access comes as Indonesia continues to diversify its meat import sources to reduce its long standing reliance on Australian supplies while meeting growing domestic demand.

Indonesia, which has a population of nearly 288 million people and where more than 87% of residents are Muslim, requires imported meat to comply with halal standards before it can be sold in the country.

With a national cattle herd estimated at fewer than 12 million head, Indonesia depends heavily on imported meat and dairy products to supplement local production.

Australia has traditionally been Indonesia’s largest supplier of beef, offal and live cattle, although Jakarta has gradually expanded the list of countries permitted to supply the market.

Indonesia opened its market to frozen buffalo meat from India in 2016 and earlier this year increased import quotas for Brazilian beef while also granting duty free access to US beef under a bilateral trade agreement signed in February.

Although the United States has faced export limitations because of a reduced cattle herd, Brazil has continued to strengthen its position in Indonesia and became the country’s second largest supplier of beef offal during the first half of 2026, with shipment volumes approaching those from Australia.

Argentina now joins the list of approved suppliers, giving Indonesian buyers another source of imported beef and edible offal as the country seeks to diversify procurement.

The approval follows a series of policy changes introduced by President Javier Milei’s administration to expand agricultural exports, including the removal of a three and a half year ban on meat exports at the end of 2024 and the lifting of a 52 year restriction on live cattle exports in early 2025.

Argentina and Indonesia began formal discussions on market access last year, with officials meeting in December 2025 to agree on sanitary and phytosanitary measures, export certification procedures and halal compliance requirements.

Argentine exporters are expected to supply frozen beef for food processing, a range of edible offal products and premium beef cuts intended for hotels, restaurants and modern retail outlets.

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