South African beef prices shot up in 2025, not because of local good news, but because the world ran short of red meat. Fewer cattle everywhere and China’s pork problems made other countries hungry for South African beef. Even with local sickness and people here buying less, farmers made more money. They sold to new places like the Middle East, using special tricks to get around problems. But the future is tricky, with animal sickness, changing weather, and how much money is worth all playing a part in what happens next for South African beef.
