September 5, 2005
Meat to replace soybeans as Brazil's no. 1 export
Brazil's export of poultry, beef and pork are expected to hit US$8 billion this year, said Gabriel Alves Maciel, the Secretary of Agricultural Surveillance of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply.
If it happens, meat will take over soybean complex as Brazil's no. 1 agribusiness export, which is exactly what the Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture indicated two weeks ago.
In January-July this year, the country's agribusiness exports reached US$24.2 billion, or 9.1 percent more than the US$22.2 billion in the same period last year.
Brazil has now expanded its meat exports to about 40 countries. Between January-July this year, the country exported US$4.4 billion worth of meat, 34.5 percent more than in the same period last year.
Even as soybean retains its first place among Brazilian exports, sales have lost impetus: the US$5.4 billion in revenues registered so far this year are 17.2 percent less than the US$6.5 billion for the same period last year.
And unlike soybean global prices, which is down 18.8 percent to US$233.6/tonne this year from US$287.8/tonne last year, meat prices have in contrast improved: the average price is now at US$1.527/tonne, 7.3 percent better than last year's price.
