August 9, 2006

Higher prices give Brazilian beef exports a 15.5 percent boost    

Brazilian cattle beef exports totaled US$ 2 billion for the first seven months of this year, which represents an increase of 15.5 percent on-year, a spokesperson for the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association, Abiec, announced Tuesday (Aug 8).

Price increases had been the main factor for the increase in revenues.

With the domestic market saturated, slaughterhouses have been aggressively marketing their beef and achieving better prices abroad.

The top market for Brazilian beef this year is Russia, which imported US$ 251 million and 171,000 tonnes, followed by Egypt, with US$ 230 million and 184,000 tonnes, and Italy, Holland and the UK.

The US was the main destination for industrialized Brazilian beef, with imports of US$ 165 million and 97,000 tonnes.

The price increases of Brazilian beef is apparent in the fact that while shipments fell 4.1 percent on-year to 221,000 tonnes, sales increased 8.6 percent on-year to US$355 million.