Javier Milei's government took the measure to allow for greater competition within the livestock and meat chain.

The Argentine government on Wednesday authorized the export of live cattle for slaughter abroad, an activity that had been prohibited in the world's major food supplier for more than five decades.

"A regulation defined almost half a century ago is being repealed (...) allowing for greater competition within the livestock and meat chain and, therefore, greater market freedom," the Agriculture Secretariat said in a statement, explaining that the decree that prevented such sales had been repealed.

The measure is part of the policies of Argentine President Javier Milei, a libertarian who took office at the end of 2023 with the promise of deregulating the Argentine economy.

Argentina is a key global exporter of grains and meats, and the taxes that govern agricultural activity, as well as its exports, are the country's main source of foreign currency.

Last month, the Argentine government reduced taxes on shipments of grains and soy products for five months.

Milei promised during his campaign to eliminate these taxes, although he said he would not be able to do so immediately due to the crisis in the local economy.

Regarding meat exports, Argentina exported 935,261 tons of the food in 2024, of which 68% was destined for the Chinese market, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture.