The Spanish meat market in 2026: exports set the pace

Spain has established itself as one of Europe's great meat powers, and 2026 confirms that exports are the true engine of the industry. The combination of top-tier health standards, production capacity and an increasingly international commercial network is placing Spanish product in markets that seemed out of reach a decade ago.

The destinations that are growing

Asia and the Middle East continue to drive demand, with markets requiring Halal certification playing a particularly prominent role. Diversifying destinations is the best defense against volatility: relying on a single market leaves you exposed to any tariff or health-related change. At OGAYGUA we experience this daily through our own offices in three countries.

Cost pressure

Animal feed, energy and cold-chain logistics keep margins under strain across the entire chain. For the professional buyer, the answer isn't chasing the lowest price, but securing supply continuity and traceability: a stable supplier is worth more than a one-off saving that ends up causing stock shortages.

What buyers should watch

We recommend keeping an eye on three signals: the trend in reference prices for beef and pork, the opening of new export protocols, and the growing role of religious certification as a key to market access. These are the indicators that point to where the opportunity will be in the coming months.