January 23, 2008

Brazil's buoyant pork industry looks to US market

President of the Brazilian Pork Industry and Exporter Association (ABIPECS) told meatingplace.com that US inspectors may visit Brazil to determine whether its pork exports are fit to enter US market.

Pedro Camargo Neto said they hope to receive a mission from the US to initiate a risk-analysis study in the first half of the year which will be the first step to penetrating the US market.

However, the US have not yet accepted Brazil's invitation to visit.

Neto said that if the US mission arrives, the study will take one to two years to evaluate the risk of swine fever and recognition of the state of Santa Catarina as free of foot and mouth disease without vaccination. He added that Brazil hopes to receive a similar visit by Mexico.

According to ABIPECS, Brazil's optimism is due to the increase of worldwide pork and pork variety meat exports. There is a near 15-percent increase from 528,190 tonnes to 606,512 tonnes during respective periods of January to December 2006 and January to December 2007, with Russia and Hong Kong being the number one and number two markets respectively.