Minerva eyes Japan beef exports after Argentina deal

Minerva Foods announced on Wednesday, September 30, that a sanitary agreement between Japan and Argentina could expand export destinations for its operations in the South American country. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan reached an understanding with Argentine authorities regarding sanitary requirements to import deboned and matured beef, as well as derived products, from northern Argentina.

The meatpacker operates six slaughterhouses in Argentina, with a combined processing capacity of 5,978 head per day. Minerva noted that Japan represents a premium market focused on quality, which creates opportunities for higher-value-added cuts.

Minerva already ships beef to Japan from its plants in Uruguay. The start of shipments from Argentina still depends on on-site inspections and plant approvals by Japanese regulators.

With roughly 123 million residents, Japan is the third-largest beef importer in the world. It purchased about 695,000 metric tons in 2025, according to United States Department of Agriculture figures cited by Minerva.