November 11, 2011

Brazilian pork exports show decrease

Brazilian pork exports dropped 7% on-year, to 331,800 tonnes swt on-year for the nine months to September 2011.

Driving this decline was a fall in shipments to Russia which imposed a ban on imports in the middle of June from three major pig producing states in Brazil (International Meat Secretariat Newsletter).

The ban was imposed after inspections found insufficient control from the Veterinary Services of Brazil over sanitary and veterinary standards. The ban has seen monthly exports to Russia fall from around 16,000 tonnes to less than 3,000 tonnes swt. For the nine months to September, exports to Russia have fallen 37% on-year, to 115,900 tonnes swt.

With Russia previously taking over half the total exports, Brazilian exporters have sent shipments to other markets. The largest increase in exports for the nine months to September was to Hong Kong (63,700 tonnes swt) and Ukraine (45,600 tonnes swt), which has seen exports to both markets rise 39% on-year.