MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur consolidates as the leading global exporter of beef

Beef volumes and international prices are increasing, with China as the main market for Mercosur exports

Mercosur is again consolidating as the leading global exporter of beef with shipments of almost 1,8 million tons during the first half of the year, according to primary information from different sources. Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay in that order were the main suppliers.

Brazil in the first seven months of this year exported 1,1 million tons of fresh, chilled and frozen beef, according to Canal Rural, and since during July sales are estimated at 160/180.000 tons, the total volume for the first half of the year would be just below the million tons.

Giovani Ferreira from Canal Rural forecasts that at this rate, in the twelve months of 2022, Brazil sales volume should reach 1.8 million tons, establishing a new record, above the 1,7 million tons of 2020.

As to Uruguay, beef exports from January to the first week of July reached 370,352 tons, up 16,5% over the same period a year ago, 318,012 tons. Revenue on the other hand was US$ 1,8 billion almost 50% higher than in 2021. China remains the main market for Uruguay prime beef.

Paraguay exported 200,473 tons of beef between January and July this year, worth US$ 1,057 billion, according to data from the National Service for Animal Quality and Health (Senacsa).

The report points out that Paraguay's leading markets were Chile with more than 77,500 tons, followed by Russia with 37,311 tons, Brazil with 26,299 tons, Republic of China (Taiwan) 24,189 tons, Israel with 11,284 tons and Uruguay with 5,566 tons.

It must be pointed out that Paraguay remains the only Mercosur member and one of a very few countries that still has full diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Finally Argentina, once an undisputed meat exporting power in the first six months of 2022 shipped 293,000 tons of beef, collecting, US$ 1,7bn, a 40% increase compared to the same period in 2021.

China absorbed 67% of total Argentine beef exports this year and remains the main market. She is followed by Germany with 9%, Netherlands with 5%, and later by Chile, Israel, and the USA, each absorbing approximately 4% of exports.