Editor's Note
This editor’s note highlights the key facts and market implications behind “Guanaco Meat Now Sold on Supermarket Shelves”, with emphasis on sourcing, product fit, fabrication, logistics, or buyer impact.
The regulation also includes the productive use of the guanaco, covering its management in captivity and the export of fiber and meat. This shift comes as the species has moved from being protected to being considered a pest for productive sectors.
Santa Cruz Sells Guanaco Meat from $6,000 per Kilo
After years of administrative procedures and amid the excessive increase in beef prices, the formal commercialization of guanaco meat is being consolidated, with prices starting from $6,500 per kilo. The sale of guanaco meat has entered a new stage in Patagonia, with its formal commercialization now authorized and prices starting from $6,500 per kilo in family packs. This scheme, already implemented in Santa Cruz, is the result of years of work on sanitary and administrative regulations to bring a historically consumed regional product to the market. The sale of guanaco meat is organized into different commercial presentations. There are boxes of up to 20 kilos with specific cuts like loin or minced meat, in addition to the family pack which includes minced meat, a quarter, and a shoulder, all deboned. Combinations of quarters and shoulders are also offered.
A Regulated Process That Took Almost a Decade
The commercialization of guanaco required at least nine years of administrative and sanitary adjustments. The first precedent was set in 2017, when the national government exceptionally authorized the transit and sale of derived products. In 2019, the framework was consolidated with the National Plan for the Sustainable Management of the Guanaco, which established conditions for its use, slaughter, and commercialization under sanitary and environmental criteria. Then, in 2024, guidelines were updated to regulate interprovincial circulation and expand sales possibilities at the national level. Through Provision 812/2024 of the Undersecretariat of Environment, Patagonian provinces were authorized to implement management and utilization plans.
Prices, Controls, and Market Projection
In Las Heras, the 20-kilo family pack is sold for $130,000, containing 10 kilos of minced meat, a quarter, and a boneless shoulder. Minced meat is also offered in 5-kilo presentations at $7,000 per kilo. The government of Santa Cruz is promoting the development of the sector with a focus on traceability, value addition, and job creation. In parallel, it is proposed that guanaco meat can position itself as an economical alternative with potential in the domestic market. Guanaco meat is currently traded legally between provinces, although market development is still in an initial stage. (Source: Redacción +P)
Source: Read the original article | Published: April 09, 2026