April 19, 2012

Brazil's pork exports expect to drop in 2013

Due to sluggishness in recent attempts to resume pork exports to Argentina and Russia to previous volume, Brazil's pork exports are seen falling in 2013, said Pedro de Camargo Neto, the president of the Brazilian Association of Pork Farmers and Exporters (Abipecs).

According to him, farmers have also complained about rising prices following the sweet corn crop's failure in Rio Grande do Sul. Neto took part in a meeting about Brazil-Argentina Bilateral Trade at the Argentina-Brazil Chamber of Commerce.

The executive expects that current talks between Brazil's Agriculture Minister Mendes Ribeiro and his Argentinean counterpart Norberto Yauha will result in a reversal of Argentina's tight restrictions on Brazilian pork.

According to Abipecs' latest data, Brazilian pork exports to Argentina fell 87.01% in March 2012 against a year before, to 427 tonnes. Export revenue fell by 85.86%, to US$1.32 million.

Meanwhile Russia, Brazil's third biggest pork buyer, saw drops of 47.97% in volume and 46.89% in revenue in March against a year earlier, to 8,265 tonnes and US$25.83 million.

Despite these setbacks, Brazil remains as the world's fourth biggest pork exporter. In March 2012 the country's sales grew 6.93% and 3% in volume and revenue, respectively, against a year before, to 47,367 tonnes and US$121.01 million.