China red light takes its toll on Brazil’s beef exports
Packer industry organisation Abrafrigo has reported a figure of 1.8 million tonnes for Brazil’s beef export volumes in 2021. This represents a fall of 7% compared to the figure for 2020.
However, thanks to higher prices, export revenues reached a record level of $9.2 billion, an increase in value of 9% year on year.
Abrafrigo said measures that China took in September 2021 to halt imports of Brazilian beef had been the main reason for the fall in export volumes. China took this action after two cases of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy were detected in Brazil.
By a large margin, China was still the biggest importer of Brazilian beef last year, bringing in 950,000 tonnes. The US was in second place with 148,200 tonnes, and Chile third with 110,600 tonnes.
Brazil’s meat export association, Abiec, said it expects record export revenues again in 2022, predicting that the total would go above $10 billion for the first time. A key factor in this is China’s return to the market, along with the opening up of other important markets such as Canada, South Korea and Japan.
Abrafrigo has calculated that 104 countries imported Brazilian beef in 2021.
