Up to the end of November, Brazilian pig meat exports had reached 1.118 million metric tons (mmt) for the year. That figure is 10% more than the 1.017 mmt traded in 2022, according to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA).
Including all fresh and processed pork products, the November trade of 105,700 metric tons (mt) was more than 13% higher than the same month of last year, although the monthly revenue was down slightly year-on-year.
In terms of revenue, export revenue amounted to almost US$2.59 billion by the end of November — 11.5% more than in the whole of 2022.
These figures confirm the projections for Brazilian pork exports in 2023, according to ABPA president, Ricardo Santin.
The leading destination for the Brazilian pig meat trade so far in 2023 has been China, although at approximately 362,000 mt, the volume is 11% lower than in 2022. However, at 114,000 mt, the figure exported to Hong Kong is up by 27% year-on-year.
Other important markets for Brazilian pork this year have been The Philippines (113,000 mt), Chile (76,400 mt), Singapore (57,900 mt), Vietnam (45,300 mt), Uruguay (43,800 mt) and Japan (35,300 mt). With the exception of China, export volumes were higher to all these destinations, noted ABPA's markets director, Luís Rua. Increases amounted to 40% or more year-on-year to The Philippines, Chile and Japan.
Up to the end of November, the main exporting states have been Santa Catarina (around 700,000 mt) and Rio Grande do Sul (260,000 mt) in the far south of Brazil.
A recent report on the prospects for global animal protein markets in 2024 forecasts a deceleration in overall growth for the coming year. However, Brazil is expected to buck this trend as output continues to expand for all species — particularly for pork.
Classical swine fever returns to northeast Brazilian state
After a hiatus of 11 months, the presence of the classical swine fever (CSF) virus has been confirmed in Piaui state.
The notifiable disease was detected as a result of passive surveillance, according to the official notification from the national veterinary agency to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
During the last week of November, two out of 15 pigs died in a backyard herd in the municipality of Cocal de Telha. The source of the infection has not been identified.
As Piaui is outside Brazil’s designated CSF-free zone, this development is unlikely to impact the nation’s pig meat exports. For some time, movements of pigs and porcine products from Piaui to the nation’s centers of pork production and exports have been banned.
Also known as hog cholera, CSF is a notifiable disease that affects members of the pig family, according to the WOAH. It can cause devastating losses in domestic and wild populations, while not impacting human health. Transmission to healthy animals is generally by direct contact with infected pigs or their products. It is known that the CSF virus can survive for months in refrigerated pork, and for years in frozen meat.
Despite the similarities in their names and impacts, CSF and African swine fever are caused by unrelated viruses. The latter virus has never been detected in Brazil.
