# Cattle farmers under pressure as beef prices look set to remain subdued

> South African cattle farmers face weak beef prices after a drought, a stagnant economy and foot-and-mouth disease in Limpopo. Neighbouring countries including Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia have banned South African meat imports. Maize output is forecast 16% lower than the previous season.

- Date: 2019-04-06 · published 2019-04-06T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region South Africa · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/59550-cattle-farmers-under-pressure-as-beef-prices-look-set-to-remain-subdued
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Export bans and weak domestic demand keep South African beef prices subdued, while higher feed costs squeeze farm margins. The effect on global feed and livestock prices is small.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2026-05-20 | [Ranchers herd it all as fewer cattle pressure beef prices; screwworm lurks - Dallasfed.org](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19198-ranchers-herd-it-all-as-fewer-cattle-pressure-beef-prices-screwworm-lurks.md) | -1.7% | -1.2% |
| LCATTLE | 2020-04-02 | [Why beef prices are up and cattle prices are down](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6286-why-beef-prices-are-up-and-cattle-prices-are-down.md) | -5.8% | -13.4% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-05-12 | [Understand the $6.50 Surge in Feeder Cattle Futures - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24819-understand-the-6-50-surge-in-feeder-cattle-futures-agweb.md) | +0.3% | +4.8% |
| LCATTLE | 2026-04-06 | [Why are cattle prices surging in the U.S. right now?](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10267-why-are-cattle-prices-surging-in-the-u-s-right-now.md) | +3.1% | +3.6% |
| LCATTLE | 2026-06-04 | [UADA economist: Screwworm news will rattle local Texas, New Mexico cattle markets, but consumer prices to remain unchanged](https://feedsoft.ai/events/18764-uada-economist-screwworm-news-will-rattle-local-texas-new-mexico-cattle-markets.md) | +0.6% | -1.0% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-05-20 | [Ranchers herd it all as fewer cattle pressure beef prices; screwworm lurks - Dallasfed.org](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19198-ranchers-herd-it-all-as-fewer-cattle-pressure-beef-prices-screwworm-lurks.md) | -4.0% | -0.6% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-04-02 | [Why beef prices are up and cattle prices are down](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6286-why-beef-prices-are-up-and-cattle-prices-are-down.md) | +2.1% | +1.5% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-05-12 | [Understand the $6.50 Surge in Feeder Cattle Futures - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24819-understand-the-6-50-surge-in-feeder-cattle-futures-agweb.md) | -0.4% | +4.6% |

## Sources

- agricultureportal.co.za: https://agricultureportal.co.za/index.php/agri-index/69-animals/1968-cattle-farmers-under-pressure-as-beef-prices-look-set-to-remain-subdued

---
Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.