World meat industry news

Brazilian exports of pork, considering all products (fresh and processed) totaled 62,000 tons in April, 47.2 per cent higher than in the same period last year.

According to the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), in foreign exchange earnings, the balance of April shipments reached US $110.5 million, 17.6 per cent higher than the number recorded in the same month last year.

In four months, growth is 20.6 per cent, to $385.5 million.

"The good performance of exports has reduced the impacts caused by domestic economic situation in Brazil, reducing the domestic supply of products. We are still in a critical situation, with high production costs and consumer downturn scenario. Brazil's investment in foreign trade has been critical to improving the outlook for the pig sector," said the chief executive of ABPA, Francisco Turra.

China remains one of the biggest importers. In April, there were 9000 tons of Brazilian pork shipped to China. In the same month the previous year, there were no shipments there. In the first four months of this year, Chinese ports received 20 tons of the product.

Russia, the main buyer of Brazilian pork, also increased its imports. In April this year, there were 19,800 tons of pork from Brazil shipped to Russia, 20 per cent higher than in the same month last year.

Hong Kong has also accelerated its imports. In April, the growth of shipments reached 63 per cent, with 16,200 tonnes.

"Despite the increase in their purchases, Russia had, again, lower share in total exports. In April, 32 per cent of Brazilian exports were destined for the Russian market, while the average last year was 45 per cent. We have seen increased sales to other major destinations such as China, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, reducing dependence on exports of Eastern Europe," said Ricardo Santin, vice president of ABPA markets.