June 24, 2011

Brazil to increase live cattle exports to more countries

Brazil plans to increase shipments to developing live cattle markets such as Turkey, which received 7,338 head of live cattle in its first period of shipments during the 11 months to May.

Brazilian live cattle exports during this period decreased 6% year-on-year to 508,440 head, with a 15% average price per head increase to US$1,032.

Shipments to Lebanon for the 11 months dropped 42% year-on-year to 43,911 head.

Venezuela continues to be the main export destination for live cattle at 90% of the total, with shipments up slightly year-on-year to 455,147 head during the period.

Brazil currently exports limited numbers of live breeding cattle to destinations in western Africa, mainly Congo, Angola and Senegal.

Apart from a one-off shipment of 2,000 head to the Philippines in 2009, Brazil has no record of live cattle exports to Southeast Asia in the past decade, including to Indonesia.