April 19, 2007

USDA: Brazil's beef exports rise while pork slides
 

Despite outbreaks of foot-and-mouth-disease in Brazil, the country's beef exports continue to expand, reports the US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agriculture Service. The USDA forecasts Brazilian beef production will be up 3.4 percent and exports up 6 percent for 2007 due to demand from domestic and foreign markets as well as tight global supplies and high prices.

Though restrictions are implemented by major markets Russia and EU, Brazil continues to explore beef markets and growth is partially sustained in the Middle East nations such as Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Sales to these non-traditional markets have offset a decline in sales to the EU and countered limited access to the Russian market, says USDA.

On the other hand, expansion in Brazil's pork production is seen to be 3.5 percent higher for 2007 as domestic consumption has increased sharply and looking for other opportunities in the Asian markets such Hong Kong and Singapore, the USDA said.