MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian pork exports in a recovery tendency: China remains the main market

In the first quarter of 2022, pork shipments reached 237,500 tons, 6.3% lower than the 253,500 tons exported in the same period last year

The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) has reported that pork exports (all products, raw and processed included) reached 91.4 thousand tons in March, which is 16.3% lower than the February 2021 record with 109,2 thousand tons.

Pork sales in March generated US$ 190.3 million, 27.3% lower than the US$ 261.7 million reached in March 2021. In the first quarter of 2022, pork shipments reached 237,500 tons, 6.3% lower than the 253,500 tons exported in the same period last year. As for revenue in the quarter, the result was US$ 498.5 million, 16.1% lower than in the first three months of 2021, with US$ 594 million.

“Pork sales in March led to a recovery, bringing us closer to the average levels of the first half of 2021. Compared to March last year, which recorded the second-best performance in the sector’s history, it may seem negative, but looking at previous months, data points to an improvement tendency in export levels, which eased the damage of historically high costs,” said Ricardo Santing, the president of ABPA.

China was once again the country that imported the most pork from Brazil in March, 34.1 thousand tons (-41.8%). Other highlights in terms of Brazilian pork exports, in March, Hong Kong, with 9.7 thousand tons (-44.2%), the Philippines, with 6.8 thousand tons (+255.2%), Singapore, with 5.2 thousand tons (+36.4%) and Argentina, with 5 thousand tons (+71.5%).

“We expect China to keep buying Brazilian pork in the coming months. The expected improvement in the COVID situation there and the corresponding relaxation of the imposed restrictions will surely increase the demand for pork, as restaurants and local processors get moving again. Furthermore, the difficult labor situation in countries competing with Brazil should also allow the sector to increase its sales volume in the short and medium terms,” pointed out ABPA’s director of markets, Luís Rua.