Brazil Opens New Markets in China and Increases Number of Authorised Meatpacking Plants

During Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Brazil on 20 November agreements were signed on the opening of five new markets and certifying of 38 new meatpacking plants.

The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) finalized four phytosanitary protocols in collaboration with China's General Administration of Customs (GACC). These agreements enable exports of fresh grapes, sesame, sorghum, and fish-derived products such as fish meal and oil for animal feed to China. Earlier in June, China approved Brazilian pecans for import...

Delays Expected at Brazilian Ports Due to Indefinite Strike Starting November 26

Federal Revenue auditors in Brazil voted to maintain slowdowns at customs and begin an indefinite strike starting November 26. This decision was made during the National Assembly of the Brazilian National Union of Federal Revenue Auditors on 21 November, following the Ministry of Management and Innovation's (MGI) refusal to negotiate adjustments to salaries.

The strike intensifies movements that began in July, with auditors demanding salary adjustments and urging the government to open negotiations.

Recent talks with the MGI's Labour Relations Secretariat...

ANALYSIS: Demand Outpaces Supply for Brazilian Beef

The Brazilian ”Boi Gordo” cattle price index reached BRL 344.20/15 Kg as of November 18 close, marking a year on year increase of 46%. According to Expanas Brazilian Beef Analyst, Augusto Eto, the increase is due to high demand from both domestic and export markets, a reduction in the supply of animals ready for slaughter and a favorable exchange rate with the Brazilian Real weakening approximately 18% against the U.S. Dollar since the beginning of the year.

Data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE)...

Philippines Surpasses China in Brazilian Pork Imports as Sector Hits Record Shipment Revenues

The Philippines has emerged as Brazil's largest export market for pork in 2024 with 206,000 tonnes shipped between January and October, a 103% year-on-year increase, displacing China as the top importer who, during the same period purchased 199,900 tonnes, down 41% according to The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA).

In October 2024, Brazil's pork exports, including fresh and processed products, reached 130,900 tonnes, representing the second-highest monthly total in the industry’s history and a 41% increase from the 93,000 tonnes...

PODCAST: "Agri-Food for Thought" Episode 16 - Brazil's Challenges and Trends in the Feed to Protein

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals.

Agri-Food for Thought covers the latest news in food and agricu​lture. Listen now as Simon examines seasonal shifts underway in the food and ag space, with special guest Elliot Holgate, Market Reporter Feed Additives - South America, Expana, giving a deep dive on Brazilian feed, feed additive, and animal protein markets.

BRF Buys Stake in Saudi Arabian Poultry Company for USD 84 Million

BRF reported on 31 October that it formalized the purchase of 26% of shares of the Saudi Addoha Poultry Company, one of the largest chicken producers in Saudi Arabia, for USD 84.3 million.

The announcement is on the back of BRF's partnership with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) set to invest USD 500 million in poultry production and food processing in the region.

According to media outlet Infomoney, Bradesco’s BBI analysts estimate that the Addoha factory purchased, which operates entirely in the halal...

Fire At JBS Poultry Plant in Passo Fundo, Brazil

A fire broke out on Sunday October 27 at JBS’s poultry processing facility in Passo Fundo, Brazil.

Local media outlets reported that the blaze affected an area designated for packaging. It was reported that JBS had confirmed local firefighters contained the blaze without injuries. 

Lar Agroindustrial Plans New Investments in Protein and Grains for 2025

Lar Agroindustrial Cooperative has announced plans to allocate resources towards new protein production units and to modernise its processing plants for poultry, pork, and soy, according to local media outlet Agfeed.

In 2024, Lar invested BRL 1 billion, with the majority directed to its soybean crushing operations, including the BRL 280 million acquisition of a soybean crushing plant from Copagril. Additional investments were made in poultry slaughtering, animal feed production, piglet and chick facilities, and logistics.

For 2025, Lar plans to invest a further BRL...

Strike to Halt Operations at Brazilian Ports on October 22

Brazilian port workers will stage a 12-hour strike on 22 October, with around 60,000 registered and freelance workers from three national federations set to halt activities. The strike will run from 7 AM to 7 PM on October 22 and is expected to heavily impact the Port of Santos.

The action, announced on 17 October, serves as a warning to the federal government as workers protest a proposed bill that would remove some labor rights for freelance and port workers. The bill, scheduled...

Fire at Aviagen's Hatchery in Paraná, Brazil

On 12 October, a fire broke out at Aviagen's breeder production hatchery in Carambeí, Paraná. An official statement from Aviagen América Latina, shared with Expana, confirmed that the damages were only material, with all staff members reported safe.

Local media reported that the fire spread across various sections of the facility, prompting the involvement of military firefighters to support the local firefighting efforts due to the severity of the situation.

Aviagen is a global supplier of broiler breeder stock. The unit in Carambeí was reported as important for the supply of chicks to...

Brazil Pork Exports Grow 7.3% in September

Brazil's pork export volume for September 2023 reached 120,400 tonnes, a 7% increase year-on-year, according to data from the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA). This marks the second-highest monthly export volume on record, following July 2023’s peak of 138,300 tonnes.

Export revenue rose at an even faster pace, jumping 16% to US $284 million, compared to $245 million in the same month last year. This is also the second-best revenue figure in history. The rise in average...

Low Production Costs Boost Brazil Meat Exports - SIAVS

Strong international demand for Brazilian meat has been driven by low production costs and most recently, by the Real’s 10% devaluation, according to traders at SIAVS, Brazil’s largest animal protein event. In 2022, Brazil had the lowest production costs of pork in the world at an average of US $1.20/kg for live pig, according to InterPIG.

Brazilian agricultural productivity grew by over 2% from 1971 to 2015, surpassing the global average of 1-2%. This growth is attributed to reforms in funding and pricing policies, subsidy cuts, and rural...

Growth Expected for Brazil's Poultry and Swine Exports in H2 2024 - SIAVS

Eduardo Giannetti, a Brazilian economist, opened Brazil’s largest animal protein event, SIAVS, which took place last week from 6 to 8 August in Sao Paulo. In his address, Giannetti stated that Brazil’s economic outlook for 2024 has been revised upwards, with growth now forecast between 2-3%, an increase from the initial estimate of 1.5%. This revision is largely attributed to the strong recovery in Rio Grande do Sul, which has exceeded expectations despite challenges including its worst recorded flood and a...

Brazil's BRF Temporarily Suspends Plant Operations after Fire

Brazilian food processor BRF temporarily suspended activities at its Carambei plant after a fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday, the company said in a securities filing.

The fire has been fully contained and no victims were reported, according to BRF. The company said it is still assessing the economic impact of the event and added that its insurance covers fires.

Five Suspected Newcastle Disease Cases Test Negative in Brazilian Poultry

On 21 July, the Minsitry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) ruled out three potential new cases of Newcastle disease in poultry after testing additional samples taken from animals near where the first case was confirmed on 17 July. On 24 July, two further analyses of suspected cases within the Newcastle Disease protection zone revealed negative results.

"The negative results reinforce that the confirmed outbreak is an isolated sanitary event and that there are no signs of spread around the commercial farm where...

ANAlYSIS: Brazilian Beef Exports Reach Record Highs in H1 2024 Amid Currency Depreciation

Brazilian beef exports reached unprecedented volume in the first half of 2024, totaling 1,139,166 metric tons (MT), a substantial 29.1% increase from the 882,197 MT exported during the same period last year. Just in June, export figures hit 192,567 MT, reflecting a 9.2% decrease from May's 211,976 MT and nearly similar to the same period last year’s 192,688 MT, reflecting only a 0.1% drop.

China remains the top destination for Brazilian beef, absorbing nearly half of the total volume shipped in H1 2024...

ANALYSIS: Brazil's Beef Exports Reach Record Highs in May, China's Shares Decline

Brazil has achieved a historical record in beef exports as of May 2024, exporting an unprecedented 211,976 MT of beef. This represents an increase of 1.9% from the previous month and a surged 25.9% when compared to the same period last year. On a YTD basis, the total volume is up by 16.7%.

China remains the leading importer, purchasing 97,876 MT of Brazilian beef in May. However, this figure is slightly lower than April's 101,023 MT ,a 3.1% decrease,  and corresponds to an 11.8% decline compared...

American, Mexican, and Canadian Cattle Producers Sign Joint Statement Raising Brazilian Beef Concern

Today, leaders of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Confederación Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas (CNOG), and Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) signed a joint statement to continue advocating for greater oversight of emerging lab-grown proteins, protecting cattle from animal diseases, and promoting the sustainability of the cattle industry. This action builds on the recent statement signing with Cattle Australia and furthers the international partnerships between cattle producers.

“The signing of this joint statement is an important step that unites cattle producers across North America...

ANALYSIS: Brazilian Beef Export Volumes Show a Robust 25% Monthly Growth in April

Despite the general sentiment of a softened market from key export destinations for the Brazilian beef, exports in April demonstrated a significant upturn, with total fresh beef exports reaching 208,053 MT, a 25.1% increase from previous month’s 166,303 MT. The significant rebound in export figures from March have surprised some stakeholders given the persistent talk about a subdued demand and pressured prices. Particularly from the Chinese market, a major trading partner of Brazil.

April’s overall market undertone diverged by some means from the increased export figures...

Brazilian Feed and Animal Protein Industries Face Disruptions Amid RS Worst Flood in History

Recent catastrophic rainfall across Rio Grande do Sul (RS), has caused what some are referring to as the worst floods in the history of Brazils most southern state. The city of Porto Alegre recorded alarming numbers where in just three days, 260 mm accumulated, equivalent to more than two months of precipitation.

Approximately 534,000 homes and businesses are without electricity, according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy. The National Municipalities Confederation noted financial damages surpassing R$ 559.8 million (Approximately $110 million)​​... 

Brazil's Chicken Exports Hit Highs Despite YoY Drop and Stagnant Prices

In March 2024, Brazil's chicken meat exports reached a peak, totaling 418,100 tonnes. This volume marks the highest recorded for the year yet reflects an 18.8% decrease from March 2023's unprecedented 514,600 tonnes.

Revenue from chicken exports also declined by 23.4% year-on-year, from $980.5 million to $751.3 million. Domestically, prices paid to chicken producers has remained stubbornly low over the past six months, ranging from approximately R$ 7.20/kg in October 2023 to R$ 7.32/kg as of March 2024, according to...

ANALYSIS: South American Beef Exporters Diversifying Beyond China In 2024

As we approach the end of the first quarter of 2024, a subtle yet discernible trend is emerging among major South American beef exporters, particularly Brazil and Uruguay. These countries are showing a tendency towards exploring attractive markets for their beef exports. This strategy doesn't signify a major shift away from China, remaining as the world's largest beef consumer, but rather an adaptive response to diversify their export destinations.

This trend becomes evident when analyzing the beef export data up to February 2024 (frozen, fresh or chilled)...

Another 38 Brazilian Slaughterhouses Can Export Meat to China

Number of license issuances in a single advertisement is the highest ever recorded in history

In the year in which Brazil celebrates 50 years of diplomatic relations with China, another 38 Brazilian meat processing plants were authorized to sell meat to the Asian country, according to a statement from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) sent to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Map) this Tuesday ( 12) .

38 licenses were granted, including eight chicken slaughterhouses, 24 cattle slaughterhouses, a beef thermoprocessing establishment and five...

ANALYSIS: South American Beef Exporters Diversifying Beyond China In 2024

As we approach the end of the first quarter of 2024, a subtle yet discernible trend is emerging among major South American beef exporters, particularly Brazil and Uruguay. These countries are showing a tendency towards exploring attractive markets for their beef exports. This strategy doesn't signify a major shift away from China, remaining as the world's largest beef consumer, but rather an adaptive response to diversify their export destinations.

This trend becomes evident when analyzing the beef export data up to February 2024 (frozen, fresh or chilled)...

ANALYSIS: January's Shifting Trends in Brazilian Beef Export Dynamics

The recently released  Brazilian export data for January unveiled significant shifts in the beef market, signaling a slightly broader diversification of Brazilian beef export destinations early this year.

While China remains the dominant player, its share saw a slight decline, as frozen boneless beef exports to China dropped by 11.8% from the same time of last year, amounting to a massive volume of 96,329 metric tons (MT) compared to 98,857 MT for the previous January, aligned with a 9.49% reduction in the average price per MT. This decline in prices reflects...

CME Grain Futures Pressured by Improved Moisture in Brazil

CME soybean futures began the new year at multi-month lows, pressured by improved moisture in Brazil and extended forecasts for additional rainfall. 

The March soybeans contract slipped to the lowest level since June 30 and ended with a 24 ½ cents decline at $12.73 per bushel. 

Brazil is the world’s leading producer of soybeans, followed by the United States and Argentina. The planting season in Brazil occurs from October through December, with harvest taking place in March through May...

Lavoro Completes Acquisition of Coram

Lavoro Limited (Nasdaq: LVRO), the first U.S.-listed pure-play agricultural inputs retailer in Latin America, today announced the acquisition of a controlling interest in Coram Comércio e Representações Agrícolas (“Coram”), an ag retailer based in Ituverava (State of São Paulo).

This acquisition of Coram, a respected player in the agricultural inputs market since 1973, significantly strengthens Lavoro's operations in São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Goiás, and bolsters its exposure to the sugarcane sector.

Founded in 1973 by César Luiz Mendonça, the retailer boasts 10 retail locations, more than 50 employees, and serves approximately 1,200...