MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Israel's market opens up to Paraguayan sheep meat

Paraguay's meat production and consumption keeps growing

Paraguay's National Animal Health and Quality Service (Senacsa) announced Wednesday the opening of Israel's market to sheep meat exports from the South American country, following approval of a slaughterhouse by Israel's Veterinary and Animal Health Service (IVSAH). This milestone is expected to boost sheep production and create economic opportunities, building on last year's record animal product exports to Israel worth US$ 147.6 million.

In addition, Paraguay is strengthening its pork exports to Taiwan, aiming to reach 15,000 tons in 2025. Since gaining market access in November 2022, pork shipments to Taiwan have surged, with a 1,055% increase in volume (1.52 million kilos) and a 1,152% rise in value (US$ 4.7 million) in the first two months of 2025 compared to 2023.

Taiwan is Paraguay's top pork market, receiving 1.66 million kilos worth US$ 5.07 million by February, followed by Uruguay, Georgia, and Brazil. Total pork exports in the first two months of 2025 generated US$ 5.91 million, up 50% from 2024. Domestic pork consumption has also risen from 4.5 kg to 9.7 kg per capita over the past decade. The sector is expanding production capacity, aided by a new cold storage plant for Taiwan exports, and aims to diversify markets further, according to the Association of Pig Breeders of Paraguay (ACCP).

In addition to the sustained growth in shipments, the recent opening of a new cold storage plant for trade with Taiwan is boosting domestic pork production. In this scenario, the sector aims to continue expanding production capacity to diversify export markets, ACCP's Delia Núñez told ABC.

“We are working from the sector so that producers increase their capacity. There is a lot of interest in the sector because of everything that is happening. We continue to promote and see what other markets we can access. Having conquered Taiwan is very important and gives us a positive precedent,” she stressed.