Uruguay Grows in Sheep Exports: Wool Leads, but Meat Declines

Sheep exports grew 6.7% in the first half of 2025, driven by the strong performance of wool, which increased in value and volume. In contrast, sheep meat declined in both indicators, with a significant drop in shipments to Brazil and China.

During the first half of 2025, the sheep sector generated revenues of over $115 million, representing a growth of 6.7% compared to the same period of the previous year. The boost came mainly from the increase in wool and its by-products exports, which grew by 13.4%, while sheep meat exports fell by 7.2%, according to data from the Uruguayan Wool Secretariat (SUL) based on figures from the National Customs Directorate. Between January and June, Uruguay exported 21.3 million kilos of wool (in greasy basis), an increase of 2.5% in physical volume. Most was marketed as greasy wool (47.6%), followed by combed wool (29.9%) and washed wool (22.5%). In value, greasy wool stood out with a growth of 30%, reaching $33.4 million, thanks to the good performance of China—its main destination—and the strong increase in sales to Egypt. Washed wool exports also increased (+15.9%, $13.4 million), while tops showed a decline of 4.2%, dragged down by the reduction in shipments to Germany. Regarding ...