April 28, 2009
Swine flu slightly negative for Brazil food companies
Recent pandemonium over the swine flu is only viewed as "slightly negative" for Brazil's name brand pork exporters, Credit Suisse said in a report Monday (April 27).
Equity analysts said that assuming the disease doesn't contaminate other animals, mainly poultry and cattle, then Brazil's biggest food exporters, Sadia and Perdigao will only be marginally impacted.
Both companies are majority chicken exporters and pork accounts for under 9 percent of total export sales, Credit Suisse said.
The disease isn't transmitted by food. "However, as public awareness of deadly cases increases, consumption is expected to be negatively impacted, which should also negatively impact international trade," Credit Suisse analysts wrote.
