The Decline of Dairy Farms in Argentina: A Continuing Trend
The Argentine dairy sector is witnessing a significant consolidation trend, with small dairy farms steadily disappearing. As of 2025, there are only 9,039 dairy farms remaining, a steep decline from 30,000 in 1988. Over the first five months of this year, 90 dairy farms have shuttered, representing a 0.44% decrease in the number of dairy units and a 0.55% increase in cattle numbers.
Notably, the Central Basin—encompassing Santa Fe, Córdoba, Buenos Aires, and Entre Ríos—accounts for 91% of the farms and 95.7% of the dairy cows. Larger farms, those with over 500 cows, though they represent just 6.7% of the total number of farms, hold 28.8% of all dairy cows and contribute more than one-third of the total milk production.
If the current rate of closures continues, 2025 could see a 2.4% reduction in the number of farms, a rate consistent with the last decade. The concentration of dairy cattle in fewer but larger farms is part of a global trend in the dairy industry.
